Under the Moonlight
by PsychedArtist
Summary: Rose Hathaway is the True Hybrid. Follow Rose and her friends as she navigates her way through senior year at St. Vlad's. In a world of vampires, werewolves, and hybrids, what will Rose find Under the Moonlight?
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to St. Vlad's.

No, not St. Vladimir, patron saint of Russia.

St. Vlad, as in Vlad Tepes, aka Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula.

I think it unfair that the school is named after a vampire. Sure, vampires attend here, but so do Lycanthrope.

There are the Moroi, vampires, and the Dhampir, half-vampire half-human hybrid. There are, also, the Lycanthrope, half-human half-wolf hybrid.

But then there's me. I'm what you would call a True Hybrid: half-vampire half-werewolf.

Since I am welcoming you to St. Vlad's, I'm going to give you a little crash-course on all things supernatural – well, at least for the species represented here and those we have to fear.

Moroi, commonly known as the living vampire, can walk in the sun, though it does sting. They have a long list of abilities: superhuman senses, agility, speed, quick to heal, perfect night vision, and most control an elemental magic – including the magic of the spirit. Some Moroi have the bat shapeshifting ability that vampires are known for while others can simply fly wherever, some don't have either gift. Their bite is euphoric for all except the lycanthrope and the True Hybrid.

The Moroi have a royal system, complete with royal families. The Dhampir are shuffled into that group since they are half-Moroi. The Lycanthrope are free to do as they choose as long as it's not harmful to the Moroi way of life.

Dhampir, the half-vampire-human hybrid, possess superhuman abilities, also: agility, speed, strength, endurance, and senses. They, too, are quick to heal, but not as fast at Moroi, and have slightly-less-than-perfect night vision. They can't shapeshift or fly. They don't possess fangs but sunlight don't affect them, but they seem to enjoy it. If you ask me, they really got the short end of the stick, especially when you take into account that they spend most of their lives protecting the Moroi, but they choose to.

Lycanthrope, commonly known as werewolves, are both nocturnal and diurnal, though they prefer the night because it's easier to hide. They possess all the superhuman abilities that Dhampir do along with perfect night vision, quick healing (faster than the Moroi), lie detection, and telepathy with other Lycanthrope. Seems a little redundant to say so, but they can shapeshift into wolves. Most have control of it, but newly turned lycanthrope still shift on a full moon or when provoked, mostly in anger. Their bite is infectious except for the Moroi and Dhampir. There aren't very many Lycanthrope here, but those that are chose to train alongside Dhampir, though their regimen is must more physical.

So, that's that on the decent creatures of the world, now on to the undead.

Strigoi are the undead vampires; Pricolici are the undead lycanthrope. You arrive at the same conclusion with either species. They either take a life or are turned. Pricolici are much more dangerous than Strigoi, in the similar fashion that Lycanthrope are much more dangerous than Moroi. Pricolici are forced to change back to their human forms during a full moon, leaving that the best time to hunt them. Both are blood-thirsty, killing machines and both crave vampire blood because it makes them stronger.

Technically, vampire blood also makes Lycanthrope stronger but it is considered taboo take blood from a Moroi.

Oh, I forgot! There's me. I'm the only True Hybrid, that they know of, in the world right now. I possess all the same attributes as both Lycanthrope and Moroi. I can shapeshift into either a bat or a wolf. My bite is both infectious and euphoric. My magic, however, is not as strong as a Moroi's magic, though I'm sure I could work on it. And unlike Moroi, I control more than one elemental power.

My mother is Lycanthrope and my father is Moroi, an odd pairing considering most Moroi think us nothing more than dogs. While Moroi and Dhampir require a human amount of sleep, Lycanthrope need more, but I need less. I can function fully on four hours of sleep and rarely sleep more than seven. This is helpful. I spend my extra time training. I'm going to become a Guardian for my best friend, she's a royal Moroi: Lissa Dragomir.

I'm seventeen and a senior so the world doesn't have to worry about us for another year, but I'm looking forward to getting out of here and I know she's eager to take on the world.

I'm Rose Hathaway, The True Hybrid. Enjoy your time at St. Vlad's.


	2. Chapter 2

**RPOV**

 _This is my favorite part._

 _The Transformation._

 _My body breaking apart and piecing itself back together._

 _It was magical._

 _First my tibias broke, forcing me to the ground. Next it was my back, which had to break to fit more vertebrae. Most of my bones just had to elongate, not actually break. My shoulders dislocated from their sockets, making way for my growing muscles. The bones in my hands and feet started to shift, growing out into paws and claws._

 _When most people witness The Transformation, they believe it to be painful. The sounds of bones snapping caused them to cringe in fear and stare at you with pity. The Transformation was anything but painful: it was pure bliss._

 _My face had begun to extend, growing out my snout. My eyes grew further apart, allowing me to see more, and my ears curved upwards, allowing me to hear further. I noticed the immediate change in my senses. In my human form, I had pretty decent senses, better than any normal human, that's for sure, but as a wolf…I was incredible._

 _My paws dug into the soft earth as I threw my head back in a howl. My howl was powerful and could be heard for miles._

 _I was destined to be an alpha. It was in my blood, I could feel it. Alpha isn't a genetic thing. My mother wasn't an alpha, nor was her mother. Alpha is something you're born with, and I was born with it._

 _Howls started being returned. I am only seventeen, but as soon as I matured into adulthood, I would need to find a pack to lead, or become a mutt, roaming until I found a pack of my own._

 _I know this dream well. It would always start out like this, with The Transformation. Usually, it would end after a run with the other pups, but for the past week things had changed. The pups had started running from something._

 _I listen, waiting for the sound of paws racing over the dampened earth. It had recently rained, the smell of storm clouds still lingered. Blurs of fur rushed by, whimpers resonating from the occasional pup._

 _I turned toward the direction they were running from and pushed myself into a full sprint. The distant crashing I had heard before was becoming louder, I followed it. The knot in my stomach grew tighter and a feeling of dread was threatening to take hold. I pushed myself to run faster, stretching my muscles as far as they could go, urging them to go farther._

 _I burst into a clearing only to be met by the sight of a nightmare._

 _Pricolici._

 _This particular Pricolici was massive. He had to be an ancient, only centuries of Moroi blood could make you that strong, and, boy, he was strong. You could tell by the ease with which he moved, lunging at the Lycanthrope that had engaged him in battle._

 _I could smell Moroi blood in the air, and the saturated scent let me know that the Moroi was dead._

 _The Lycanthrope fought with grace and power, the likes I'd never seen in any before. He was beautiful, and not just in fighting. He was larger than most, and his coat was a rich shade of chocolate brown._

 _Brown was a very uncommon color for Lycanthrope, we tend to all be the same shade of black, other than myself, of course. But I'm not like other Lycanthrope. I am a True Hybrid – half-Moroi half-Lycanthrope. My coat is of the purest white. Brown only belonged to a certain line of Lycanthrope in Russia, but I hadn't seen any in America._

 _To my surprise, the brown Lycanthrope had successfully ripped open the throat of the Pricolici and was in the process of detaching the rest of the head from the body. I stared mesmerized and in awe._

 _After the head was removed, the Lycanthrope launched it as far from the body as possible. He collapsed after the ordeal he had just through, exhausted, but still managed to crawl his way over to the small Moroi body that lay a few feet from him. My initial conclusion of a dead Moroi was confirmed when the Lycanthrope threw his head back and let loose the most heart-wrenching, sorrowful bellow I had ever heard._

 _My heart constricted and I felt the desire to mourn with him. I threw my large head back and answered his howl with my own, but mine was filled with heartache and empathy. I moved across the clearing just to be closer to him. I wanted to ease his pain._

 _Upon hearing my howl, the Lycanthrope's head whipped around in my direction. Seeing my approach, he got up and stood defensively in front of the Moroi's body. His head lowered and his lips curled back in a snarl._

 _I stood my ground, unfazed by his aggressive stance, but I did approach at a slower pace. I stared into his chocolate brown eyes, sending him calming messages. His stance lowered and he collapsed back to the ground in a heap._

 _I nudged his neck with my snout, rubbing my face against his. He turned into the comforting gesture and let out another mourning howl. When he turned his face back to me, I could see the emptiness and sorrow they now possess. I could imagine the life that once lived there, but it died with his Moroi._

 _My heart broke for this man._

 _I laid down beside him, giving him my strength. He was an alpha, I could feel it, but his power was fading, being locked away. He eventually closed his eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep. But as soon as I closed my eyes, I woke up._

I sat up with a groan.

For the past week, I'd been having this same dream. I'd always dreamed of my time as a wolf, but it was always just running and leaping with my fellow pups. I was concerned about the change in my dreams and what it could mean. This was the only time I'd come close to a Pricolici, but it felt so real. I've killed a few Strigoi in my time, but never a Pricolici, they were rare and elusive. My heart ached again, remembering the brown Lycanthrope that had been too late to protect his Moroi. The ease with which he took the Pricolici down was impressive, especially considering the age of the Pricolici.

Was it real? Was any of it real?

My senior year was starting tomorrow. I was looking forward to it just as much as I was dreading it.

I've been here since I was four. I've grown up here. This is my home, and in less than a year I will be forced out and sent to live on my own. Well not completely on my own. I'll have Lissa.

Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, last of her line, is my best friend. She's been here for me since preschool. We're each other's family.

While I've never known my father, and I barely knew my mother, Lissa grew up with both parents and an older brother. They took me in when we became best friends and I accepted them as my new family. Two years ago, they died in a car accident. Both Lissa and I had stayed at St. Vlad's for a party that was happening that weekend, otherwise we would have been in that car, too. I know sometimes she wishes that she would have been in the car.

I was grateful to have Lissa with me, though, I hate that she lost her family. She had me, her best friend, and Christian, her boyfriend. He was okay in my book, but I didn't think he deserved her, but if we're going with my opinion, no one deserved Liss. If anyone did deserve her, however, I guess it would be Christian. He treated her like the princess she is.

All of my classes this year were combat training classes. I'd tested out of all of my academic classes, so the first half of my day will be spent training, then I have the rest of the day off, though, I'd most-likely use that time for more training. I was slotted to be Lissa's Guardian when we graduate and I was not going to lose her, not like the Lycanthrope in my dream.

I shuddered at the thought of Lissa's body lying there, dead. I would not allow that to happen. I had a feeling the Lycanthrope in my dream also made that promise to his Moroi.

All of a sudden, there was a shift in the air.

' _We have a new Alpha on campus.'_ I thought to myself as I drug my body out of bed. I may not sleep much, but that doesn't me I didn't like my bed.

I slipped on running shorts, a sports bra, and a tank top. Sitting down on the end of my bed as I pulled my socks and shoes on, I thought about my running course. Usually I ran around the track at the sports fields, but today I was feeling a run through the woods. I'd cleared it this year with Alberta, the Head Guardian here at St. Vlad's, to be able to run the ward lines where the Guardian's patrol.

The woods surrounding campus were dense and saturated in the pleasant scent of pine. I found it more therapeutic to run in the woods rather than on a track.

I exited my dorm room, being sure to lock the door behind me and slip the key into my bra. I exited the Lycanthrope dorm hall and started jogging to the nearest point of the ward lines. It was barely 4 p.m., but being August and in Montana, the sun was still shining warmly overhead. I turned my face toward the life-giving star to soak up the rays.

Entering the woods, I started dodging tree after tree until I came upon the well-worn ward path and turned right. There weren't many Guardians out patrolling at this time, but the ones I did pass gave me a polite nod. None of them seemed surprised to see me, it appears that Alberta let them know that they might see me out here, that or they just didn't care what I did.

I was a remarkable student, but I definitely got into more than my fair share of trouble. Most of the time I got away with it because I did so well in my academic classes and was far more advanced in my combat classes than the other Novices. I could have graduated last year, but I wanted to wait for Lissa. If I was going to be her Guardian, it would be easier for me to graduate with her, plus I didn't want to leave her at The Academy by herself while I went and guarded someone for a year.

I'd been running for an hour and decided to be done with it, I needed a shower. My current position on the ward line was on the other side of campus from the Lycanthrope dorms, so I decided to cut across campus rather than run the rest of the line.

The feeling of Alpha power grew stronger when I neared the Guardian dorms. There were very few Lycanthrope Guardians here on campus, most were out protecting royals. The Guardians here that were Lycanthrope were all Betas, not a one of them was an Alpha. I was intrigued by the thought of a new Lycanthrope Guardian, especially if they were an Alpha.

' _I wonder what brought them to St. Vlad's?'_

The power that radiated from the building told me the Alpha was far too powerful to have retired to an easy guarding job at a school.

 _'Why would an Alpha that powerful take up a school guardian position?'_

I guess I would find out tomorrow when classes start. Surely a new Guardian would be a topic all over the school. I suppose I could wait until tomorrow to see this new Alpha.


	3. Chapter 3

**DPOV**

 _This was the worst part._

 _The memory._

 _The nightmare that I lived through, leaving me broken, unable to be fixed._

 _It was horrible._

 _The smell of the recent storm was faint in the air. My claws dug into the earth, keeping me from sliding too far from the fight. The Pricolici in from of me was an Ancient, probably one that turned by choice. After the first Moroi he had drained he'd gone on to drain thousands more, their blood fulling his power._

 _Ivan's blood._

 _His body lay to my right, limp and lifeless. His blond hair stained red by his blood. His dull eyes staring wide, looking at nothing, seeing nothing. The life that once resided there was absent. The Guardians that were supposed to be protecting him were littered throughout the woods leading to this clearing._

 _I'd sensed that my charge was in danger. I was having my first night off since I'd started guarding him straight out of high school six and a half years ago. He was my best friend and after graduation, he became my charge. I hated to leave him alone, but he forced me to leave the house and go see a movie. Halfway through the previews my stomach began churning, I chalked it up to being nervous about leaving Ivan's side. There were seven Guardian's replacing me tonight, he was supposed to be safe._

 _When the feeling still hadn't resolved after the first fifteen minutes of the movie, I left to check in with Ivan. When he didn't answer the phone, nor any of his guarding team, I started sprinting in the direction of the house. It wasn't far from the theatre I was at. The smell of blood was already in the air. The Transformation took seconds, never causing me to break stride, and I followed the scent._

 _From what I could tell, the only dead were Dhampir. The single Lycanthrope was still alive, though I could smell his blood. I pushed myself to run faster. I dodged tree after tree, urging my muscles to go faster and faster. I had to get there._

 _When the smell of the Lycanthrope's blood became almost unbearable, I knew Ivan's last line of defense was gone, and I was still too far away._

 _My muscles ached from being pushed so hard, but I ignored them and pushed them even harder._

 _I broke into the clearing just in time to see the Pricolici's fangs sink into my best friend. The growl that emanated from within me was feral, to say the least. I thought I caught a glimpse of fear from the Pricolici as he dropped Ivan's lifeless body and turned to face me._

 _Its blood-stained lips pulled back in a snarl and it lowered itself into a defensive position. Without thinking, I launched myself at him, claws extended and aiming for the softest parts of his flesh._

 _I landed as many successful hits as I took. My body was showing signs of fatigue after the sprint here and the battle that was still raging. I was running in circles around him, using his large form to my advantage. My smaller form, at least compared to his, was more agile and easier to move. I would just need to wear him out a little more before I could deal real damage._

 _The Pricolici became momentarily distracted by a movement on the edge of the clearing, my mind registered the movement but my main focus was on the monster in from of me. I seized the moment and lunged for his exposed throat, ripping it open. The blood in my mouth was vile but tasted like victory and revenge. After the first tear it wasn't hard to take the rest of the head off. I threw it somewhere far into the woods._

 _My body was on the verge of collapse, but I needed to get to Ivan. He was my charge. He comes first._

 _I drug my aching body over to where my best friend lay in a heap. His face was twisted in an expression of pure agony. His final moments spent in pain. If only I hadn't have left him, he could still be alive. I tried not to think that I could be dead, too._

 _I felt the breath collecting in my lungs and before I could stop it my mourning howl rang loud, piercing through the night ranging for miles. A nearby howl returned, sounding heartbroken and sympathetic._

 _My head whipped around to see a pure white wolf with lilac eyes trotting over from the far side of the clearing. Perceiving her as another threat, I rose and stood defensively in front of Ivan, crouching and baring my teeth at her approach. My snarl only slowed her pace, but she wasn't backing down. In her eyes I could see the calmness I so desperately needed._

 _I sunk back to the ground. She came closer to me and nudged my neck. Her touch was soft and gentle. It held encouragement and I turned into the sensation that coursed through me where her nose fanned breath across my fur._

 _I let out another howl, this one was uninterrupted and longer, expressing every emotion I had over the loss of my friend. I was supposed to be an Alpha, and a strong one at that. I radiated power._

 _The magnificent creation that laid down in front of me was also an Alpha, though she hadn't matured into her position yet. I could tell she would be an amazing Alpha, strong and compassionate. She'd be a more powerful Alpha than I could ever hope to be, probably more powerful than any Alpha I've come across._

 _I felt my own power dwindling, but she lent me hers. Gazing into the soft lilac fields of her eyes every day this week, I decided I would follow her anywhere, she would be my Alpha. I didn't know if she was real, but if she was, I'd find her._

 _I fought sleep as long as I could. I didn't want to waste a second in the presence of the magnificent wolf in front of me, but the exhaustion I felt was too overwhelming and soon my eyelids drooped. Sleep took me and I woke from my dream._

I open my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. My body was reluctant to be awake, as was my mind, but I knew if I went back to sleep the nightmare would start all over. Once a night was enough for me, though, it meant I would see the White Wolf again. She would almost be worth it.

I wondered if she was real. If this White Wolf existed somewhere in the universe and if I would ever meet her. My Babushka had always told me about the power of dreams, but this was the only instance that I could recall where I wanted my dream to become reality. Most of that dream was reality. The only part that hadn't happen in real life was meeting the White Wolf.

Ivan died a week ago. I was allowed a few days off to mourn for him, but I was soon accosted by Court to think about my next assignment. I had no interest in having a personal charge after losing Ivan, but Court wouldn't hear it. We compromised that I wouldn't have an official charge for another year. I would be assigned to Princess Vasilisa Dragomir upon her graduation from St. Vlad's, until then I would be stationed as a Guardian for the school.

On top of that, I was also to instruct my future guarding partner, Rosemarie Hathaway. From what I've heard about her, she's smart and talented but a troublemaker. She takes her training seriously, even going as far to practice material outside of the curriculum. If anything, she was dedicated to the Princess.

I glanced over at the clock as it blared its red numbers at me. Not even 4 p.m. It was too early for me to be up. I needed more sleep but my brain was fighting me. No, I didn't want to have to relive Ivan's death over and over again every night, but if I continued like this I'd die from exhaustion. I needed my sleep.

I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes. Sleep alluded me, but I got some rest all the same. When I looked back over at the clock only an hour had passed.

I decided that I wasn't going to be able to sleep anymore and decided to put my extra time to good use: a workout. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up rubbing my face. Classes would start tomorrow and I'd yet to inform Rosemarie that we would be having training sessions after her classes every day.

Pushing my body off the bed I shuffled over to the bathroom and turned on the cold water in hopes of waking myself up. Standing under the freezing spray I felt my inner wolf cry out. There was an Alpha nearby, and a powerful one at that. I hoped I wasn't going to be stepping on anyone's toes in my short stay at St. Vlad's.

I hadn't met many of the other Guardians, and the ones that I had met were all Dhampir. I could smell the other Lycanthrope, though most smelled young, students. This Alpha was near and the power they radiated signified a mature Alpha, or if they weren't mature, they were close. But soon the tug faded and, presumably, the Alpha passed.

I stepped out from under the showerhead and dried off with the towel that was hanging on the rack by the shower. I pulled on some workout clothes and navigated my way toward the large gym.

The smell of sweat, blood, and vinyl attacked my nose as I pushed the metal doors open. I allowed the smell to overwhelm my senses, blocking out the rest of the world and started stretching. I moved through each of my weightlifting sets before wandering over to a punching bag.

The guilt of Ivan's death had been slowly eating at me for the past week and the only time it subsided, just a little, was when I was punching something. I know statistically speaking, catharsis didn't work, but that didn't stop me from pouring all of my emotions into my movements.

"Are you okay, sir?" I heard a voice come from behind me. I was so engrossed with my workout, that I hadn't noticed anyone else come in. I looked up at the clock and saw that I had been her for two hours. Turning to look at the source of the voice, I found a tall, lanky boy, probably seventeen years of age. He had a lot of muscle but his frame still made him look lanky and awkward. Fiery red hair sat atop his head and freckles dusted his face, the face that wore a look of concern.

"Yes, I'm quite alright, Novice…?"

"Ashford, sir. Mason Ashford." He stepped forward extending a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Guardian…?" He replied waiting for me to give my name.

"Belikov." I took his hand in mine and gave a firm shake. The young man's eyes widened, obviously recognizing my name. I mentally sighed and steeled myself for what was to come next.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Guardian Belikov. I had no idea that you had transferred to St. Vlad's." He said diplomatically, the look of awe still shining in his eyes.

"Yes. After some recent…events, I decided to take a break, though I have been assigned to be Princess Dragomir's Guardian upon her graduation. Until then I will function as a school guardian and a mentor to the Princess's other future Guardian, Rosemarie Hathaway." His eyes widened even more at my revelation.

"You-you're going to be mentoring Rose?" He fumbled out, a hint of jealousy and possessiveness tinged his words.

"That is the plan, though if you happen to see her before I do, please don't say anything to her. I would like to talk to her first." He nodded in compliance and studied me, almost as if to size me up. I felt myself stand taller and square my shoulders to him, though I don't know why.

After a few moments, Mason gave me a sharp nod, turning and exiting the gym. I suddenly felt very anxious about what tomorrow would bring.


	4. Chapter 4

**RPOV**

I once again, awoke early. I was going to have an easy morning, just a run and weight lifting. I didn't want to make myself too sore on the first day of classes. You know how I only have combat classes, well included in those combat classes was Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection.

I don't understand why there needs to be a theory class for such an applicable subject. They should have us out in the field shadowing other Guardians to gain on-the-job experience. That would benefit us more and it wouldn't be such an adjustment once we graduate.

So not only do I dislike the subject, I've already tested out of it, but I have to be enrolled in the class, I also dislike the Guardian teaching the class. Stan Alto. It wasn't that he was a bad Guardian, I mean he was far from the best, but he was a good Guardian. But he was a horrible person. The majority of his hostility was focused on me, but he was openly rude to everyone, student and co-worker alike.

I was not looking forward to his class, it was first thing this morning and then all my physical combat classes. After lunch I would have nothing I had to do, just my personal workouts.

I peeled myself away from the warmth of my bed to shower and dress for my morning session. I exited my room and made my way to the ward path to start my run.

There was a cool breeze that broke through the heat of the summer, fanning the sweat that had collected on my forehead after an hour of running. The power that I felt yesterday began pulsing across campus.

 _'The Alpha is awake.'_

I let my mind wander to the new Alpha. The power became so great that even my inner wolf reacted, but the reaction was not the one that I'd expected. My whole body came alive. My nipples tightened and my breathing became labored. I let out an involuntary moan, but thankfully no one was around to hear me.

I had to stop running because of the overwhelming effect the power had on me. I leaned against a nearby tree hoping to push the feelings away. My body needed to focus on training, but all I was feeling now was horny. My body has never had a reaction like this, and frankly it was scaring me.

After a few minutes, the feeling subsided. I breathed deep and worked my way to the gym. I decided to forgo the weights and went straight to the punching bag. I was feeling frustrated and I needed to hit something.

I'd been laying into the padded dummy for a half hour before I felt a tug that made me scan my surroundings. I spun toward the entrance of the gym just in time to see the most gorgeous man push his way into the gym. He was dressed in gym shorts and t-shirt that stretched across his toned chest.

My defensive stance dropped, as did my jaw. He was tall, like 6'6" kind of tall, maybe taller. His eyes were a rich brown, but lacked the vitality of happiness. His muscles bulged from under his clothes, except for his exposed forearms, the skin stretching over the bulk of muscle. His hands were clenching and unclenching as he strode closer to where I was standing.

His head was down and he seemed to be deep in thought, it was no wonder he didn't seem to notice me until he was almost on top of me. When he did notice me, his eyes widened in shock. His gaze slowly traveled the length of my body, setting my skin aflame. I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

"Hi." I managed to spit out.

"Hello." He responded, but he didn't try to further conversation, he just went back to appraising me. I took the chance to study his face. All his features were strong, but the bags under his eyes were heavy. My senses told me that this was the new Alpha, but if I had to hazard a guess, he wasn't sleeping nearly as much as he needed to be.

His light brown hair hung loose around his face, reaching the top of his shoulders. His eyes were still drinking me in, he'd yet to make eye contact with me.

I shifted my weight to one foot and placed my hand on my now jutted hip.

"Do you need something?" I asked. There was no annoyance in my voice, concern for his behavior, but not annoyance at his blatant leering.

"No, I just came here for a workout. I didn't think that anyone would be here this early in the morning." This longer sentence allowed me to detect a faint Russian accent, it was _hot_.

"I'm usually here this early in the morning, though I am surprised a Lycanthrope, such as yourself, is up at this hour."

"You're here." I was aware that I smelled like a Lycanthrope, but he didn't know what I was, and I wasn't going to tell him otherwise.

"You'll find that I'm not like normal Lycanthrope." I told him with a knowing smirk. "I'm Rose, by the way. Rose Hathaway." He shook my outstretched hand, a spark ignited upon the brief contact and my frustrations returned.

"Belikov. Dimitri Belikov. I'm new here, just started," he informed me. "I've been looking for you."

"You've been looking for me?" He nodded. "Well, you've found me." I gestured to myself making his eyes travel my body yet again.

"That I did. I'm going to be your new mentor."

"My new mentor?"

"Yes. I've been reassigned to Princess Dragomir upon her graduation. I'll be your guarding partner when you become her primary Guardian."

"Well, Comrade, it's nice to meet you. When do we start? I'm free any time after lunch or before classes. I sleep from 11 a.m. to around 3 p.m. So, whenever is good for you, I'm available."

"Do you not have any academic classes?" He asked, choosing to ignore the nickname. I chuckled.

"No. I tested out of all of them last year so I could dedicate my senior year to combat."

"I see. Well, we'll start after lunch today. 1 p.m.?"

"That sounds wonderful." I nodded in agreeance. "I need to shower before class. I'll let you get to your workout. I'll see you this afternoon, Dimitri."

His eyes followed me as I walked out of the gym, but gave no response. My body craved the feeling his gaze brought me and I scolded myself for its lack of control. I reached my room and the feeling was starting to fade. I stripped my sweaty clothes from my body and turned the heat up in the shower.

Stepping under the scalding spray, I felt the tension leave my muscles and all the knots untangled. I was mentally preparing myself for the day. High school was a drama mine and there was no way to effectively navigate it without detonating something. I gathered all the self-control that I could muster before stepping out of the shower and toweled off.

I dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a blood red tank top. I grabbed my duffle bag and threw in some brightly patterned leggings with their matching sports bra and a black workout tank. I filled my water bottle, placing it in the bag, then placed my one textbook and notebook into the bag. I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed to the cafeteria to meet my friends for breakfast.

"Rose!" Lissa called from across the room, jumping up from her seat and rushing forward to greet me halfway.

"Hey! Liss!" I threw my arms around her enthusiastically. I let her drag me by the arm back to the table where the rest of our friends were waiting for us.

Eddie and Mason both greeted me with a sharp nod and a monotone "Hathaway." Christian barely acknowledged my presence as he wrapped his arms around Lissa and pulled her down in his lap. I rolled my eyes and fake gagged.

I smiled to them all in acknowledgement, dropped my bag, and turned to get my breakfast. I ate the most at breakfast, meaning I ate enough for twenty Moroi instead of ten. Moroi don't eat much, but Dhampir do, and Lycanthrope eat more than Dhampir. Because I train so much and my high natural metabolism, I need to eat more than the normal Lycanthrope.

I smelt him before he even got close to me. He smelled of moth balls and stale beer. I tried to fight of the sneer that worked its way onto my face, I really did try, but I'm sure it was still there.

"What do you want, Zeklos?" I ground through my teeth. And to think, I was having such a good morning.

"Oh, don't be that way. I know you missed me." He replied in a haughty tone.

"Really? What gave you that impression?" I sneered sarcastically. I turned around to face him, looking at him expectedly.

"You really are a bitch, you know that?" He stepped closer. "But I'd be happy to make you _my_ bitch."

"Bite me." I growled.

"You'd like that wouldn't you."

"Actually, no. You seem to forget your bite does nothing for me. Not that anything about you does anything for me." I gave him a pitiful glance as I motioned to his body. "I need a _real_ Alpha, not some Moroi wannabe."

With that, I turned around and continued down the breakfast line. I could feel Jesse's anger, it bellowed off of him in thick waves. I chuckled internally as I filled my tray high with proteins, finishing it off with three chocolate doughnuts.

"Not a word, Sparky." I told Christian as I sat down with my loaded tray.

"I wasn't going to say anything." He smirked with his hands up in a defensive gesture. I glared at him.

"So, Rose, did Belikov find you?" Mason asked.

"Yeah. How did you know about that?"

"I ran into him yesterday at the gym. I was actually going to look for you, because I know you're usually up that early, but I found him instead."

"Did he tell you he's going to be training me?"

"He said that he'd be your mentor." Mason confirmed nodding. "I can't believe that you get to be mentored by _The_ Guardian Belikov! He's like the best of the best."

"Wait. Belikov?" Eddie joined in. "Didn't his Moroi die recently?"

"Last week actually." Christian provided.

"That's got to be tough. He's Lissa's Guardian now."

"I have a Guardian?" Lissa chimed in after listening to our conversation. "Why?"

"If I had to guess, it's probably because you're the last Dragomir. You're pretty important, you know? It makes sense that you'd be given a Guardian even before graduating just to make sure you're safe." I theorized.

"I guess that makes sense." Lissa muttered. She wasn't a huge fan of our political system or being reminded that she is the last of her line.

"He won't officially start as your Guardian until you graduate, but if you leave campus for your infamous shopping trips, he'll probably accompany you." She just nodded, probably thinking about her next shopping trip. The table fell into a lull until Christian spoke up.

"How did Belikov's Moroi die?"

"Pricolici. Belikov was a minute too late, he'd apparently been taking some time off. Ended up tearing the thing's throat out and decapitating it with his bare teeth." Lissa cringed at the detailed description provided by Mason, but I froze. What Mason described was eerily similar to my dream. The dream I'd been having for a week, since his Moroi died. It had to be a coincidence, right?

"Is Guardian Belikov a Lycanthrope?" Asked Eddie, I'd smelled it on him, so I already know the answer.

"I forget that you Dhampir can't just tell when someone is a Lycanthrope." I laughed. "But yes, he is a Lycanthrope. An Alpha and a powerful one, at that." Mason's expression turned to awe as I answered Eddie's question.

"I bet he's a fighting god."

"Oh, he's a god alright." I smirked. Lissa laughed, but the boys just looked confused.

"So, you've seen him fight?" Mason inquired missing the meaning behind my words, which just made Lissa and I laugh more.

"Men. They're clueless." Breakfast ended with the guys still confused. I linked arms with Mason and Eddie as we headed off to Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection with Guardian Alto.

"Do you guys think Stan's gotten any nicer?" Eddie and Mason shared a look before we all cracked up laughing.


	5. Chapter 5

**DPOV**

After my morning workout, where I'd met Rosemarie – Rose, I showered and got ready for my day. I was going to spend the first half of the day observing Rose in her classes to get a feel for where she is training wise and what her strengths and weaknesses are.

Her first class was Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection. The class was taught by Guardian Stan Alto, and from what I've heard he's a dunce and just plain cruel to his students. I suppose that it would be a test of her self-control, or her professionalism.

I headed to the classroom and found myself to be the first one there, even Alto wasn't presiding yet. I placed myself at the back of the room so I could observe the entire space.

"Ah, Guardian Belikov." Stan said coming in. "What can I help you with today?"

"I'm just observing today." I stated formally. He just nodded. Students started trickling into the classroom, all of them wearing similar expressions of exasperation, probably due to the man at the front of the room, not the subject. Though, I do remember this subject being dull.

Rose was one to the last students to enter. She was escorted by two other Novices: Ashford, whom I met yesterday, and Castile. All three of them wore smiles. My inner wolf lurched as her smile widened at something Ashford said. I felt the need to growl and assert dominance, but I guess that's just instinct as an Alpha. I'd rarely been around Lycanthrope, so my instinct to make other Lycanthrope know I was Alpha wasn't very strong, but it was making itself known, now.

Rose's head snapped around toward me and her smile turned into a smirk. I tried to school my face into one of indifference, but I probably just looked confused because I was. She was walking toward me, but she stopped at a desk off to my left.

"Belikov." She whispered to me, "I know you're new here and being the Alpha that you are, you probably have some instinct to assert dominance, but could you tone it down on the power waves? The Dhampir can't feel it when you do that, but I sure as hell can. You're making me queasy."

"I apologize, Novice Hathaway. I was unaware that I was producing such waves." She nodded and turned to the front of the room where Stan was getting ready to start class. She leaned back in her chair, one foot slightly in front of the other, one hand in her lap and the other holding a pencil, tapping it impatiently on her notebook.

Her head was lowered and her eyes closed. If she hadn't been tapping her pencil I would've thought her to be asleep. It seemed Stan thought she was, though.

"Hathaway! Look alive!"

"I'm very much alive, Guardian Alto. I was simply listening to your wonderful lecture." She responded, her eyes still closed.

"You're eyes need to be open for you to pay attention, Novice."

"On the contrary. I can see just fine with my eyes closed." She quipped. "Probably better."

"Is that so?" Stan questioned smugly. "How many Guardians are in the room right now?"

"Six." She responded. I look around the room and, including me, there were six Guardians.

"Right. You probably already knew that from the time you walked in." Stan retorted quickly. "Who are the Guardians and what are they wearing? Something specific each has on other than their uniform." I saw Rose smile.

"Finally, you give me a challenge. Guardian Matthews, by the door to the right, has a pin in the shape of a clover on his right lapel. Guardian Harlow's, approximately eight feet to the left of Guardian Matthews, left shoe is untied. Guardian Allport, toward the back of the classroom, missed a button when dressing this morning." Both Guardians rushed to fix their wardrobe malfunctions as Rose continued.

"Guardian Skinner, by the door to the left, has a stain under his uniform jacket, near the right breast pocket, I believe it's coffee. Guardian Zimbardo, approximately eight feet to the right of Guardian Skinner, has gum on the bottom of his shoe, it's fresh so it was chewed this morning. Guardian Belikov, standing three feet to my right, is the only Guardian with his hands behind his back instead of in front. I suppose it's a Russian thing, but he is wearing a _ridiculous_ leather duster." She finished, her head still down, eyes still closed. "Is there anything else you need me to point out to you Guardian Alto?"

The longer Rose talked and the more she got right, Alto's face got more and more angry. I had to admit, I was extremely impressed.

"You can get that look off your face, Guardian Belikov," she whispered, "you'll only anger him further."

I schooled my face, but the shock was still there. She was magnificent. I don't know how she did it, but I wanted to learn. Maybe she could teach me while I taught her.

"Just keep your eyes open, Hathaway." Stan spat out. Rose's head snapped up and her eyes snapped open. I could have sworn I saw them turn purple, but they were brown upon closer inspection.

"Of course, Guardian Alto." Rose kept her eyes open for the rest of the class period, but she did not look like she was paying attention. However, every time Stan would call on her to answer a question or give an opinion, she was alert and focused with the right answer rolling off her tongue.

When class was over, I watched her pack up her bag and practically skip over to Ashford and Castile, who both gave her high-fives. Stan watched on with a sneer.

"Does she normally do that?" I asked when most of the students had cleared out of the room.

"Hathaway? Yes. She's a handful and exhibitionist, but she's the best Novice to come through this school. She's going to make a wonderful Guardian someday, as long as she keeps her emotions in check. She's got a habit of being impulsive. For her, it's fine, but if any other Novice tries what she does, they'll end up dead." I nodded, taking it all in. "Good luck with her, though. You're going to need it."

I gave him a small smile and walked out of the room and made my way over to the gym. Most of the Novices were still in their respective locker rooms getting changed. I took up residence in the back of the gym, in the shadows as to not intrude or be observed.

My eyes were drawn to her immediately, like a moth to a flame. She had on skin-tight multicolored leggings and a black tank top, underneath which you could just barely see a sports bra that matched her leggings. The outfit was not supposed to make her look more alluring, but it did anyway. She'd pulled her long hair into a high ponytail, which swung behind her.

I heard a few of the male Novices whistle and I couldn't help but release a low growl. She winked in the direction the whistles came from, but quickly turned her head in my direction. Her eyes met mine and she mouthed the word "stop," but I didn't understand. She rolled her eyes and snarled in my direction. She made a motion almost like puking.

 _Shit._ I was going all Alpha again. I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender, and she nodded sharply before going to speak with her instructor. She pointed up to the ceiling, and I followed her finger up, but there was nothing but structural beams with a few climbing ropes tied to them. Looking back to where she stood, I saw her instructor nod. Her smile widened.

She took off at a sprint toward one of the climbing ropes and started her assent. I watched as she reached the top, grabbed on to one of the beams, and hoisted herself up. The rest of the class seemed uninterested in the progress she made and continued on with their warmup.

Rose had taken root on a beam in the middle of the gym and was stretching along with the class below her. The instructor, Guardian Erikson, was explaining the moves of the day and Rose was nodding along. When the Novices started practicing their moves, Rose was doing the same, just thirty feet in the air. She moved with confidence, whereas her fellow classmates were choppy and uncoordinated. Her footing was solid as she did her combination kicks, there was no risk of her falling off.

When the time came around for them to start their spinning kicks, my stomach knotted up and I became nervous. She turned from where she had been diligently watching Guardian Erikson and met my stare. She gave me a smile that quickly calmed my nerves. I'd been watching her all period and not once had she fallen, stumbled, or hesitated from where she was suspended.

Little did I know that the females were doing aerials while the males were just doing spinning hook kicks. My stomach dropped as Rose launched herself into the air. Her hair flew out behind her before following the direction her head had turned. Her body spun, joining the path of her head and hair. One leg tucked up underneath her torso as she spun, the other leg was outstretched, aiming high. The move was flawless and she landed with the smallest thump on the beam.

"Very nice, Hathaway." Guardian Erikson called up to her. "See if you can cover more ground with it."

Rose just nodded, but my nerves were back and nothing she did, other than coming back down on the ground, would ease them. I watched on with a worried expression as Rose progressively jumped further and further.

At one point, Erikson had stopped the other Novices and instructed them to watch Rose as she executed each flawless jumping kick. I could tell he wanted to find some criticism of her technique, but it was immaculate. She was perfect.

"The only thing you can do now, Hathaway, is to the get the jump further."

"How far?" She asked, not even breaking a sweat.

"I would think that if you could jump from beam to beam and still land each kick, that would be the farthest you'd ever have to jump." She looked over at the beam ten feet beside her and nodded her head.

The only problem, well, there were many, with jumping to another beam is that there is no launching point that you can plant a foot on. She'd have to jump without any momentum to propel her forward. She turned to face the aforementioned beam and squared her shoulders. Her eyes took in the expanse that lie between her and her destination. Her feet parted and her knees bent. She shifted her right foot back to where her toe was perched on the very edge of the beam.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. As she opened her eyes, she let out the breath. Her muscles prepped for a split second and she launched herself into the air. I was surprised by the power of her jump. Most wouldn't be able to leap that high without a running start. She was halfway between the two beams when she started her spin. Just like her other kicks, she was impeccable.

Her left foot touched down on the beam first, quickly followed by her right. She landed in a crouch, her fingertips gripping the edge and halting her forward momentum. I let out the breath that I was holding and studied her again.

Her eyes were shining bright with fire and accomplishment. There was barely a drop of sweat on her brow and not a wisp of hair was out of place. I'm not really sure how many times I've iterated this, but she was perfect. There wasn't a thing wrong with her.

"That was perfect, Hathaway." Erikson praised. "Now, how 'bout you join the rest of us normal people down here on the ground."

Rose smirked before she launched herself, yet again, off the beam and grabbed the nearest climbing rope. As her ponytail swung around her head, I caught a glimpse of the back of her neck. There were probably half a dozen Molnija marks there. I can't believe I was still being surprised by this girl and we'd only had one conversation. I quietly pondered how and when she earned her marks as she was climbing down the rope.

When she was safely back on the ground she joined the group and they reviewed the moves from the class and started their cool down exercises.

Guardian Erikson approached me while the class was stretching.

"She's really something, isn't she?" He asked motioning toward Rose.

"Indeed. Does she normally do that?" I questioned for the second time that day.

"She normally adds her spin onto the lesson of the day, but she doesn't do it to show off. She does it to better herself." He told me. "She's an excellent student, one of the best."

"How did she get her Molnija?"

"You'll have to ask her that, she hasn't told us. The only ones who know are Alberta, the Princess, and Rose."

I only nodded as Erikson shook my hand and walked off. Rose only had one more class before lunch and it was still in the gym. I leaned back against the wall and waited for Weight Training and Conditioning to start.


	6. Chapter 6

**RPOV**

After Advanced Guardian Combat Techniques with Guardian Erikson, I had Weight Training and Conditioning with Guardian Pavlov.

Since I had just finished combat class right before this, I was still in my gym clothes, ready to go. I had about ten minutes before the class would start, giving those who had just arrived time to change. Guardian Pavlov was already here, stretching before he began class.

"Good morning, Guardian Pavlov." I said cheerily. He was one of my favorite Guardians on campus. He had dark brown hair with golden hues and light green eyes that peered out under thick eyebrows. His jaw was strong, but not offending, and his eyes were surrounded by laugh lines. He was a great guy and one hell of a Guardian.

He usually let me do all of my conditioning on my own. If I asked nicely, he'd even let me condition in wolf form, which is what I wanted to do today.

"Good morning, Novice Hathaway." He responded with equal vigor, the corners of his mouth twitched, but he quickly smoothed his face. His voice the only indication of emotion.

"I was wondering if I could do my conditioning in wolf form today?" I asked kindly. "I know it's the first day and all, but I haven't had a chance to wolf-out as much this summer. You know how Alberta thinks it might be too dangerous if there aren't enough Guardians around. But now you're here, and in case you didn't notice, I have my own personal shadow Guardian today."

"I didn't notice that. Where is this alleged shadow Guardian?" He asked in amusement.

"Guardian Belikov is leaning against the back wall, hiding in the shadows. He was in my first class this morning and in combat training just now. He's just observing from what I can tell, probably gathering information on how to better train me. He's mentoring me to be a better Guardian for the Princess."

"I've no doubt that you're going to be the best Guardian for the Princess, but if he thinks he can teach you something new, he's more than welcome to try." Pavlov laughed. "You can do your own conditioning today. In fact, how about you do your own conditioning Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I can assess and make suggestions on Tuesdays and Thursdays? I would like you to work both in wolf and human form. I know it's uncomfortable changing back and forth between the two because of the clothing issue, but I would like you to try transforming in the middle of a fight, just to see if you can and how long it would take."

"That sounds wonderful! I'll see if I can do that early in the morning when no one else is here." I smiled widely. "Thank you, Guardian Pavlov."

"Between us, Rose, just call me Ivan." He winked at me and shooed me away with his hand. I smiled and headed to the locker room so I could change and transform. There were a few girls in the locker room changing into their gym clothes. The entire upper-level female Novices were in this class, which amounted to seven.

"I'm going to be Transforming, guys, so if you don't want to hear it or see it, I'd change quick." All but Meredith quickly changed and ran out of the room.

"I don't have a problem with it. I hate that you're the only senior Lycanthrope." She stated, taking her time getting ready. "It must suck not having anyone to train with and we Dhampir can't really keep up with you most of the time, even in your human form."

"It's okay. My new mentor is a Lycanthrope so maybe he'll have us train in wolf form." She nodded silently as I stripped. I let out my inner wolf. My body came alive as she sprung out of her cage. I started to feel more normal. Being in my wolf form didn't allow me to interact easily with many people, considering I was seven feet tall at the shoulder, so maintaining human form constantly was a necessity as a form of communication. If I had it my way, I'd stay in wolf form all the time.

My body craved its wolf form and the power it held. I still had power as a human but as a wolf, I radiated it. As a wolf, I could sense Dimitri tense and release a low growl as he felt the power shift. He'd been emitting Alpha waves all day, but it usually got stronger when I was getting attention from other males. I know he was an Alpha, and me being a female Lycanthrope, he had to prove that he had the final say, but not only was the Alpha wave distracting, it was also arousing.

I was another Alpha, and two Alphas being in the same room would be dangerous, but I wasn't a mature Alpha just yet, so I posed no immediate threat to him. However, in the way of Lycanthrope, he could have claim to me if I so chose to submit to him as my Alpha.

"I don't understand how your hair can be dark brown as a human and snow white as a wolf." Meredith commented. "It just doesn't make sense to me. And don't get me started about your eyes."

I shrugged as best I could in wolf form and nodded toward the door.

 _"Do you think you could open that for me?"_ I sent out to her.

"Of course." She answered, putting her things back in her locker and moving toward the door, she held it open as I stepped through the narrow opening. I had to lean my head down to fit under the lintel. "And I'm assuming that you won't be going with the rest of us for Dhampir conditioning."

 _"You'd be right. Just be sure to hit Mason extra hard."_ Meredith laughed and agreed. I passed Guardian Pavlov on my way out and gave him a nod.

 _"I'm going to be outside, Ivan. When class is over just get someone to whistle really loud."_ He nodded in my direction before turning back to the rest of his class.

Ryan Aylesworth started walking toward me with a smirk on his face. I stopped and looked at him expectantly.

"You look better like this, Hathaway. But the least you could've done was show us _all_ the Transformation process. Maybe you wouldn't mind changing back into a human right now? Just so we can see how it works." He asked with a smirk. I growled at him, my ears pinned against my head, crouching lower to the ground. My head was in line with his but I was five times the size of him. Yet, he didn't back down. "Down, girl. No need to get feisty."

I felt Dimitri tense even more behind me, Alpha waves pulsing pulling me toward him, as Ryan lifted his hand toward my head, as if to pet me. I snapped at the offending hand and growled louder.

"Novice Aylesworth!" Guardian Pavlov yelled. "Don't you know not to antagonize Hathaway, no matter what form she takes? Get over here before you end up dead." I gave one last growl as he turned away to join the rest of the class.

I stalked my way over to the doors that led outside. In order to get to said doors, though, I had to pass by Dimitri. Ever since I stepped out of the locker room I could feel his eyes glued on me. The Alpha in me told me to challenge him, but I had nothing to prove and I wasn't mature yet. Technically, I was still a pup.

I wondered how large his wolf form was? I turned my head to see him clearly. He was no longer slouching against the wall. His form was rigid, but his eyes were widened in shock. He stared at me in disbelief, his mouth hung open. I understand that it wasn't every day that you saw a white wolf, but I wasn't that impressive. My wolf form was a lot smaller than the other Lycanthropes I've met, and I'm pretty sure I've stopped growing.

I tilted my head toward the door, beckoning for him to follow. He moved forward in a trance, his eyes never once leaving mine. I pushed open the door with my head and made my way slowly toward the woods. In human form, Guardian Belikov had to walk briskly to keep up with my stride.

 _"Is there a reason why your mouth is still hanging open, Guardian Belikov?"_ I asked without looking at him. I heard the audible snap as his jaw closed.

"Ty krasivyy Belyy Volk." He whispered. My head turned to him. I've only taken enough Russian to understand half the sentence, but I pieced together the rest of it.

 _"Da. I am a White Wolf. We're rare, but we're out there."_

"Usually White Wolves have a special purpose in life, at least, that's what my Babushka tells me." He stated rushing to move closer to my head. When he got close enough he only studied my eyes.

 _"Are you staring because you wish to figure out my purpose in life, then?"_ I ask sarcastically. _"I doubt you'll find it in my eyes."_

"No, I stare because I'm intrigued by you." He stated plainly. I didn't respond, his confession left me confused.

We reached the clearing in the woods where I did my wolf conditioning.

 _"Would you care to join me, Guardian Belikov?"_ I asked.

"I couldn't possibly fight you as a wolf, I'd be crushed by your paw."

 _"I did not mean as a human. You are a Lycanthrope, are you not?"_

"I am, but I've not Changed." I rolled my eyes at him.

 _"Then Change. I'm not stopping you. I promise I won't peek, either."_ I turned around and plopped down, covering my head and eyes with my massive paws. I felt him smile behind me and proceed with getting undressed.

My sight was actually better with my eyes closed, which I demonstrated this morning in Stan's class, but I'm not sure that he remembered. I "watched" as he slipped his duster from his shoulders and hung it up on a nearby branch. Next came his shirt, and if I thought he was hot with a shirt on, he was drop-dead gorgeous with it off. Even in wolf form my body reacted to his, I heard him give a low growl which made my lower belly clench.

I answered his growl with one of my own, but I stayed put. The desire to rush this man was overwhelming, but I needed to stay in control of my body. He continued undressing, his shoes and socks coming off next. He hesitated as he reached for his belt. I was very much looking forward to his pants coming off.

He, ever so slowly, slid the tail of his belt through the loop and buckle. Tugging the entire strap through each loop of his pants was pretty much torture. When his belt was fully off, his pants hung lower on his hips and the clearly defined V ached for me to touch it. I let loose another growl, but instead of growling in return, Belikov smirked, which made me growl again.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" He asked, his smirk still in place and his fingers lingering over the button on his pants.

 _"Only if you want to."_ I answered, even though the only thing I wanted was for him to take off his damn pants. His smirk got wider at my response and I pinned my ears against my head and growled again.

"Down, girl. No need to get feisty." He mimicked Ryan, but hearing Dimitri say it was a turn on rather than being antagonistic.

His fingers pushed the button on his pants through the hole and eased his zipper down. I could see his boxers were a black and white checkered pattern as they peeped through. His thumbs hooked around the band of both his boxers and his pants and began to slide them off his hips. I could feel the saliva pooling in my mouth as I tried to refrain from drooling.

I knew he was teasing me by now, no one undresses this slowly, even if they were hesitant. Without warning, he ripped his pants and boxers from his legs. I didn't have much time to admire the marvelous specimen that stood behind me before he started to shift. I gulped as I took all of him in.

I found my _real_ Alpha, and, man, what an Alpha! Mating season must have been such a pain for him. I couldn't smell a mate on him, so he must have turned away many.

His slowly shifted from human to wolf. Most of the time, the transformation takes a minute at the most, but he seemed to be dragging his out. Not that I minded, it gave me a chance to study him more thoroughly. To both my surprise and horror, the hair that started to protrude from his form was brown.

I didn't want to believe that Dimitri could be the wolf from my dreams, but I couldn't tell for sure until the process was complete. I waited until his Transformation was complete before standing to face him.

Like in the dream, Dimitri's wolf form was larger than mine, except now that he was standing, he towered over me. His brown eyes held amusement, but no exuberance was found there. Unlike in the dream, his snout was clean and his posture strong. He didn't need my strength here, he had his own.

His head was cocked to the side as he studied me, studying him.

When he spoke, the voice that floated through my mind was like honey: rich, sweet, and smooth. The Russian accent he held when in human form was nothing compared to the thick accent that accompanied his wolf's voice.

 _"So, we meet again."_


	7. Chapter 7

**DPOV**

 _"I promise I won't peek, either."_ She said laying down, covering her eyes with her large paws.

I couldn't believe she was here. It was literally a dream come true. She was even more magnificent in person, or wolf, I guess. Her pristine white fur shone eerily in the moonlight, making her glow. The lilac of her eyes was unlike any I'd seen before. I didn't understand how her Transformation worked, turning her dark brown almost black hair into a snow-white and her dark brown eyes into a light lilac, but either in wolf or human form, she was beautiful. I couldn't seem to take my eyes off her.

I smiled down at her form, the position she lay in was adorable, at least it would've been if she wasn't massive, but it was still endearing. I quickly shook my duster from my shoulders, hanging it on a tree branch. Gripping the edge of my t-shirt, I lifted it over my head.

I felt my cock pulse and my body lurch toward hers, I growled as I watched her tail thump against the ground. Only then did I realize she could see me, eyes open or not. The feeling running through me was inappropriate because, one, because she was a wolf currently and I was still human, two, because she was still underage. I tried my best to rid my body of the need for her, but I didn't succeed.

Her wolf form was beautiful and so was her human form. The knowledge that, if she were to Change back now, she would be naked in front of me was at the forefront of my mind, where it stayed, giving no indication of moving.

After a moment's hesitation, I decided if she was going to have this effect on me without even trying, I was going to do the same. I slowly unhooked my belt, looping it back through my belt loops as slowly as possible. When my belt was fully off I heard her growl. I smirked which cause her to growl again.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" I asked innocently enough, with the smirk still on my face. I wanted to keep going. My body begged me to either have her in her human form or for me to release the inner wolf.

 _"Only if you want to."_ She replied, though since my cock still pulsing, I knew she wanted me to keep going. She growled again as my smirk grew. I have to admit, that growl wasn't as threatening as it should've been. I don't know whether it was because I was an Alpha or because we were both so aroused, but her growl only spurred me on.

"Down, girl. No need to get feisty." I quoted the Novice that approached her before leaving the gym. I thought it might anger her, but the feeling that came over me was one of lust. She was making it really hard, quite literally, to remember that she was my student.

I took my pants off as quickly as I could, needing to Transform before my body completely ignored my commands. I Changed as slowly as I could, giving myself time to control my wolf, so I wouldn't lunge at her.

When all four of my paws were safely on the ground I shook my fur out. I hadn't been a wolf since Ivan died. A week without being a wolf was weird, but I didn't want the reminder. Even now I had that reminder, but Rose was pushing that to the back of my mind. She stood and turned to face me. I saw recognition flash in her lilac eyes. She looked stunned.

 _"So, we meet again."_ I said. She slowly moved her head up and down.

 _"So, it seems."_ Her eyes widened more as she took all of me in. _"You're much bigger than in my dreams."_

 _"Why, thank you."_ I said with a smirk. She growled low, her ears standing up straight, pitched forward, and her lips curled back. God, that was hot!

 _"That's not what I meant, and you know it."_ I took a step closer to her, and she took one back. _"What are you doing?"_

 _"I'm trying to familiarize myself with you, so if you Change I don't take it as a threat."_ I stated moving closer still. But that was only half the reason. I needed to feel her close to me, her fur against mine, her scent locked into my memory. I wanted to be able to find her anywhere. _"The more I'm familiar with you, the more I'll be able to feel if you're in danger. If you're with the Princess, I'll be able to tell if you two are in danger sooner if I know you better."_

She nodded and stood still, allowing me to slowly make my way around her. Her wolf form held so much power in it, even when she was standing still and three feet shorter than me. I couldn't wait to see her in action. I nuzzled my snout against the top of her neck, she turned her head to nip at the underside of mine. Her fur was just as soft as in the dream, if not softer.

It was fitting to me how she smelled of vanilla and lavender, with her snow-white coat and lilac eyes. She smelled pure, which made a growl form in the back of my throat. Rose responded with a growl of her own. Where mine was one of attraction, hers was one of warning.

 _"Back off, Belikov. I think you've familiarized yourself enough."_ She spit out moving away from me as I started to circle around her back.

 _"On the contrary. I believe I've just started, but we don't have to do the rest today."_ I said with a wink. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

 _"Should we get to training now?"_ She asked with a little irritation in her voice.

 _"If that's what you want."_ I said standing before her. _"What do you usually do when you're conditioning?"_

 _"I usually go for a run around campus. I run the ward route as to keep myself out of the watchful eye of the greater population. They don't always take to kindly to Lycanthrope roaming around campus. Plus, it gives me something to focus on while running."_

 _"Lead the way."_ I said. I started after her when she turned. Her gait was shorter than mine, but her pace was faster than mine. Her movements were graceful but still held all of her power. She ran a little in front of me, her tail swaying gently back and forth.

 _"Stop staring at my ass, Belikov."_

 _"Sorry."_ Embarrassment flooded through me as I averted my eyes, but I couldn't help but sneak a peek every once in a while.

She pushed herself to go faster. Each lap we did, she pushed faster and faster. By the last lap, I was struggling to keep up with her and I don't even think that's the fastest she could go. I had a feeling she was holding back because of me.

 _"When it gets to be winter, I come out here and practice jumping from tree to tree while the branches are bare."_ She told me as we were cooling down in the clearing. _"It helps me land softly and delicately."_

 _"I don't see how you do that. I'm tired just from running. How do you not get worn out?"_

 _"I'm not like other Lycanthrope."_ She stated plainly.

 _"Yes, I can see that. No normal Lycanthrope can run thirty miles without being tired. No normal Lycanthrope jumps through the trees for fun, either."_ She rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, there was a high-pitched, long whistle coming from the direction of the gym.

 _"It's lunch time. And after that run, I'm famished."_ She laughed, getting up and moving out of the clearing. When I didn't move, she looked back at me. _"You coming?"_

 _"To lunch? With you?"_ I asked hesitantly.

 _"Yeah. You can meet my friends and the Princess."_ I nodded, pulled myself off the ground, and started to follow her.

 _"Wait. I need to Change, and I'd rather not do it while you're here."_ I said sheepishly.

 _"I see how it is."_ She laughed. _"I'll wait for you in the gym, Comrade."_

She trotted off toward the gym, leaving me to Change and get dressed, which I did quickly. I followed after her like a lost puppy – well, wolf, I guess. What has gotten in to me? I was an Alpha for goodness sakes! Yet Rose has me acting like a love-sick Beta.

She was born to be an Alpha, anyone who questioned that was in for a rude awakening. I was ready to submit myself to her, but she wasn't mature yet. With her still being a student, my student at that, I don't think submitting to her now would be a wise option. It would cause a lot of problems down the road and people might get the wrong idea. If I submitted to Rose, it wasn't because of a sexual need, it was because she was my Alpha. Packs don't run off of desire, though I wouldn't mind being _her_ Beta, packs are about trust and loyalty. Without even knowing much about Rose, she has both my trust and my loyalty.

While I wouldn't mind having a physical relationship with Rose, I don't think she would feel the same towards me. But I needed to feel her near me again, the desire to stand by her side was so prominent I started to wonder if I would always have this feeling. Even if I hadn't submitted formally, I've already accepted her as my Alpha, she just has to accept me as a Beta when I offer.

As I approached the gym, Rose was still in her wolf form, talking with someone, but his back was to me. I stepped out of the woods and her lilac eyes automatically locked with mine. The person she was talking to followed her gaze looking over at me. It was Mason Ashford. The need to growl at him was still strong, but grew as she nodded at something he said and he reached out to stroke the fur on her face.

She leaned slightly into the touch, not enough for it to mean anything, but enough for me to not like it one bit. I released a low growl as Ashford walked toward the cafeteria. Rose turned to me and growled menacingly.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "I can't help it. He rubs me the wrong way."

 _"You're going to have to get used to him, Comrade. He's like my brother so he's going to be around. Same with Eddie."_ She told me, and I nodded.

"I'm going to try, but I'm not making any promises. I don't like the way he looks at you." I told her glaring in the direction that he had disappeared, though it did please me that she had called him a brother. I heard her sigh and move toward the gym, presumably to get Changed and into clothes.

 _"I'll be out in a bit, Dimitri. While I'm gone, could you try to stop pulsating Alpha waves. It's making me nauseous, and I'd really like to be able to eat my lunch."_

I watched as she pushed her way into the gym. I walked over to the wall and leaned against it, waiting for her to come back. I didn't even realize that I was pulsating. I've never been this out of control of my Alpha before. I needed to get my head on straight, but Rose is making my thoughts go wild.

Rose exited the gym, her hair down and dressed in the outfit she wore this morning. I could tell from her hair that she hadn't showered, but she didn't need to. She didn't sweat at all today, and she smelled lovely: vanilla and lavender. I breathed deep, drowning in her scent.

"You're going to have to stop that." She said, I raised an eyebrow questioningly, unsure what she was referencing. "The hormone-inducing thing you're doing right now, it has to stop."

"I don't mean to." I respond nervously. "You just have that effect on me."

She sighed and motioned for me to follow her to the cafeteria.

"Well try to tone it down, will you?"

"I'll try." I stated appeasing. "But I'm not making any promises."


	8. Chapter 8

**RPOV**

"Rose!" Cried Lissa from her spot at a table with Christian, Eddie and Mason. "Oh my gosh. You won't believe all I've heard this morning. I've so much to tell you!"

"Liss, it's barely been four hours." I laughed as I sat down. "You can't possibly have _that_ much to tell me. Even when it comes to Royal gossip."

Lissa started to speak but stopped suddenly. Her eyes were directed behind me. I turned to see what she was staring at and saw Dimitri. He was standing there looking a little out of place. Most Guardians don't take their meals in the commons like the students do. The friendlier and more sociable Guardians do, but most aren't that nice. I would want Dimitri to take his meals with us, just to get to know us better. I'd almost forgot that he didn't know everyone and feel completely comfortable just sitting down with the rest of us.

"Oh, yeah. Guys, this is Guardian Belikov." I beckoned him forward. "Guardian Belikov, this is Novice Edison Castile, Novice Mason Ashford, Lord Christian Ozera, and Princess Vasilisa Dragomir. Ow!" Lissa kicked me under the table when I used her full name and title. I glared at her but she ignored me and gave her full attention to Dimitri.

"Call me Lissa." She stood and offered her hand. Dimitri accepted it and gave a gallant bow.

It's a pleasure, Princess Lissa." Lissa gave a huff but accepted, knowing she probably wasn't going to get anything better. Dimitri nodded towards Christian. "Lord Ozera. It's a pleasure to see you again. I trust you're doing well?"

"Likewise, Belikov. And, yes, I'm doing very well." Christian replied pulling Lissa back to him. I looked back and forth between Christian and Dimitri with a puzzled look. Christian just gave me a smirk but didn't say anything. Dimitri eventually took pity on me and explained.

"My sister and his aunt were friends. I went to school with Christian's aunt, Natasha, for a little while and have met him a few times before when he would visit with his parents. I was so very sorry to hear about your parents." Dimitri told Christian solemnly.

"Yeah…me too." Was the only respond Christian gave. Lissa gave his hand a small squeeze.

"Would you care to join us for lunch, Guardian Belikov?" Lissa asked returning to happier topics and motioning to an empty seat beside me.

"If you wouldn't mind. I would like to get to know your schedule and a little bit more about you, aside from the political and family matters." I knew from my Guardian classes, that any Guardian with a new charge would receive a dossier on the individual and any information that the Guardian would need to know. Given Dimitri was an outstanding Guardian, he'd probably already memorized Lissa's dossier, and Christian's, too. However, knowing how to interact with your charge on a personal level can make a huge difference.

"Please, sit. What do you want to know?" She asked chipperly.

"How did you and Rose meet?" He asked as he sat next to me. I started chuckling straight away, as did Lissa.

"Rose was signed over to St. Vlad's when she was four. She already knew a lot of the teachers and Guardians just from being on campus for a year before starting school. We both started kindergarten at age five. As chance would have it, we sat next to each other in our writing class. Our first task was to write each other's names. Let's just say that asking two five-year olds to spell 'Vasilisa Dragomir' and 'Rosemarie Hathaway' is not exactly welcomed."

"I threw our notebook at the teacher and called her a 'fascist bastard.'" I laughed at Dimitri's horrified expression. "I'd heard a Guardian yell the phrase at someone a few days earlier, and as a child, I thought it appropriate. I may have been five, but I had a good arm and perfect aim. She ended up with a few papercuts on her face. It's safe to say we still don't get along."

"And I'm assuming that was just the start of your rebellious streak?" Dimitri questioned with a raised eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching as he held back a laugh.

"I've gotten better in the past couple years." I defended myself, trying my best to look offended.

"And why is that?" Lissa and I shared a glance. She shook her head slightly, trying to go unnoticed, but I'm sure Dimitri saw it anyway.

"I knew I had to grow up to keep Lissa safe." I answered diplomatically. Dimitri turned his head to give me a hard look but didn't push the subject further. I did have a feeling, though, that he would ask me more about my change of heart during training. Turning back to Lissa, Dimitri asked more questions about her friends, hobbies, and future plans.

Dimitri graciously avoided the car crash and any topic that might lead back to her family. What he didn't know is those topics would lead to the answer he was looking for about me.

"What's your element, Princess?" Dimitri asked close to the end of lunch. "I'm not sure anyone has had a definite answer for me on that subject.

"It's actually a newly rediscovered element. Spirit." Dimitri looked intrigued as Lissa leaned forward to answer him in a hushed tone. It wasn't that Spirit was a secret, but the more people who knew what she could do the more danger she could be in. The same went for me.

"What is it?"

"It's unclear what it is exactly, but from what I understand, it takes the most prominent personality trait and turns it into a manipulatable ability. It's an element of the self so it takes a lot of self-control and personal strength to make anything happen."

"What's your most prominent personality trait and what can you do with it?" Dimitri asked, taking in all the new information. I doubt this was in the dossier, so he would need to pay extra close attention to her answers.

"Kindness, and with it I can heal. Right now, it's just little things unless it's someone I care deeply about, like Rose. She's gotten hurt too many times to count. Healing her broken bones has become great practice for me. Though she hasn't gotten hurt in a few months."

"Because I've gotten better." I said looking at Lissa knowingly.

"When are we going shopping again, Rose?" Lissa asked, suddenly. "It's been a few months, hasn't it?"

"Almost four months. We went toward the end of last semester but didn't go over the summer." She nodded. "Maybe we should talk to Alberta about scheduling another one sometime soon. With the start of senior year, I think shopping is just what I need."

"I could always do more shopping!" Lissa exclaimed, bouncing in her seat, but worry flashed in her eyes.

"I can't believe you just suggested going shopping, Rose." Eddie chuckled. "There was a time where we would have to drag you, kicking and screaming, to do any form of shopping."

"A lot has changed in the last couple of years." I said sadly, sharing a similar look with Lissa.

"I'll talk to Alberta after classes today." Stated Lissa as she glanced down at her watch. "I've got to go feed now, but I'll catch up with you after I meet with her so we can get some practice in."

"How long do you plan to work me for, Comrade?" I asked as Lissa and Christian rose from the table to go to the feeders.

"It depends on how hard you work." He replied with a smirk. "I still haven't seen you fight, so we'll probably be starting with combat. I trust your conditioning habits, as crazy as they may seem, so I'm not too worried there. However, there are a few things I want you to show me."

"Oh, I'm sure I could show you a lot, Comrade." I muttered quietly under my breath, but he still heard me. Dimitri's response of a low growl sent a shiver down my spine and straight between my legs. The lust that accompanied his growl made my breath hitch and my heart start pounding. I crossed my legs and turned my head to look at Dimitri. He was smirking at me, running his eyes discretely over my body, causing my skin to heat and my heart to beat faster. I tried my best to glare at him, but my face just wasn't having it.

"I still don't think it's fair that you get your own personal mentor, Rose. You're already the best in the class, the best Novice in all of the academies, probably." Mason grumbled with Eddie nodding in agreement, both of them completely unaware of the effect Dimitri was having on me. "They should give the rest of us a fighting chance at being able to take you down during finals." I laughed.

"It wouldn't matter if you had decades of personal mentoring, Ashford. You could never handle all of _this_." I retorted gesturing toward my body, I felt Dimitri's eyes follow my gesture setting my skin aflame. Eddie laughed giving me a high-five before he stood up, nudging Mason.

"Come on, Ashford. Some of us still have academic classes we have to go to." He said giving me a pointed look. "Good luck with this one, Belikov. I have a feeling you're going to need it." Shaking Dimitri's hand and avoiding my glare, Eddie left, followed closely by Mason.

"They seem like good people." Dimitri told me after sitting in silence for a moment or two. I nodded as I thought more about my friends and how we would appear to an outsider.

"They are. We're an odd bunch, but we work." I stated with a smile.

"You do have some questions to answer, though, now that everyone else isn't here." My smile fell. "What happened two years ago that caused everything to change?"

"Lissa's family died."

"So, that's the reason that you changed your entire act?" I nodded avoiding his gaze. "You know I can tell you're lying, right?"

"I know." I mumbled. "Stupid Lycanthrope."

"So, are you going to tell me the truth?" He asked, ignoring my Lycanthrope comment.

"No." I said bluntly. "Are you ready to go?"

I stood without waiting for his response and started making my way to the doors. Dimitri quickly scrambled after me. I was already pushing the door open by the time he caught up with me.

"Rose, what happened?" He asked, grabbing my arm with a worried expression.

"I grew up." I said with a shrug. It technically wasn't a lie, just not the entire truth.

"What does that mean?" Dimitri pushed further.

"It means when Lissa's family died and I turned sixteen everything changed. Now, will you stop with the questions and start training me?" I pulled out of his grasp and kept on my path to the gym. Now that morning classes were over, it would be empty. I felt Dimitri stare at me while I walked away. He eventually gathered enough of himself to follow me to the gym. When he entered the gym, I was halfway to the locker room to get changed.

"I didn't bring any workout clothes to change into. I wasn't expecting to eat lunch with you and your friends." Dimitri called out to me. "I'll be back in a few minutes. While I'm gone you can stretch and do your normal warmup. We'll spar when I get back."

I watched as he turned and walked away. His duster billowing behind him, making him seem suited for a western action movie. While his duster was covering most of him, I did notice how well it sculpted his shoulders and back. His muscles clearly defined under the coat. He moved with both power and finesse, I couldn't wait to see how he fought in human form.

Thinking about Dimitri getting hot and sweaty while sparring with me turned me on more than just thinking about getting him naked, not that that didn't turn me on, also. My frustrations from earlier returned and I practically stomped my way into the locker room to strip and dress in my workout gear. I hadn't known this man a day and already he was corrupting my body.

I didn't react to him like this in the dream, why is it happening now that he's actually here? Speaking of the dream, I wonder if I'll keep having it now that we've met in person. Will he recognize me in the dream? Will I actually have the courage to speak to him now that I know who he is?

Better yet, why was I having the dream in the first place? I just met Dimitri this morning, how could I know what his wolf form looked like or what had happened to him? Was he having the exact same dream? I didn't know what was going on.

So many questions flooded my mind that I barely noticed when Dimitri reentered the gym, wearing similar clothing to his gear this morning. I'd already stretched and placed myself on a sparring mat, waiting for him. His eyes took in my attire and my position and he wordlessly lowered himself into a defensive crouch across from me. I mimicked his posture.

"Begin."


	9. Chapter 9

**DPOV**

Coming back into the gym, dressed and ready to spar, I couldn't help but admire the sight before me. Rose was standing at the edge of a sparring mat, waiting for me, though it seemed like she was lost in thought. I took the time to really look at her. Her body was gorgeous. There wasn't an ounce of fat on her, it was all pure, toned muscle. The fabric of her leggings clung to her shapely legs and perfect ass.

I mean, it was _perfect_. Her hips were wide but not unseemly. Her curves looked dangerous but soft to the touch, if you would be lucky enough to touch her. Oh, and how I wanted to touch her. My hands itched for even the smallest of touches, and it was getting harder to control myself as I continued my assessment. Her waist dipped in, giving her a soft curve that was very pleasant to my eye.

The swell of her breast was just barely visible above her tank top. Her clavicles were well defined, but she didn't appear malnourished. Her shoulders were pulled back and she looked to be alert even though she was staring off into space. She held herself with power and grace.

Her heart shaped face was breathtaking. Her bottom lip was full, but her upper lip was thin. I unconsciously licked my lip wondering what those lips tasted like. Her eyes were such a rich brown they appeared to contain their own fire. Her eyes, suddenly alert, flicked up to meet mine.

I crouched down in a defensive stance, preparing myself to fight this magnificent woman. Rose quickly mirrored my stance and took a deep breath.

"Begin." I said. She closed her eyes, releasing the breath, and kept them closed. We started to circle. I didn't know how she planned on fighting me with her eyes closed, but she'd proved she'd be capable of it.

I tested her "sight" by dropping and sweeping my right leg toward hers, hoping to knock her off her feet. She jumped and rolled off to my right, out of my reach. Her back was to me but still in the defensive stance. I rushed at her, but she spun away from me. I threw a few punches at her head and ribs, but none of them got even close enough to count as a near miss.

I let out a soft growl as she dodged me yet again. I felt like I was just chasing her and she was toying with me. I was surprised to find myself being turned on as I pursued her. Each time I got close enough to even think about getting a hit in on her, she'd be gone, but I followed her.

She still hadn't thrown a punch and her eyes were still closed. I did notice a smirk on her face, though.

We'd been sparring for ten minutes now, well _I'd_ been sparring, she'd been dodging. I growled quietly. I finally just lunged for her, arms out in front of me trying to get a hold on her torso. She used my momentum against me. While ducking under my arms, she bent down and rolled me across her back sending me slamming into the ground. I let out a loud groan as my back hit the mat first.

She quickly took advantage of the situation, placing a knee on either side of my hips, using her feet and her leg muscles to pin my thighs and, by default, my legs to the ground. Both her hands came down over my heart, simulating a stake thrust.

At last, she opened her eyes, still straddling me. I was breathing heavily, both from having exerted myself in the fight and from the sight of a goddess on top of me. She smiled down at me victoriously, not a hair out of place. Her breath was even, like she hadn't just been running circles around me.

"You're amazing." I breathed out. Her hands had moved to either side of my sternum. There wasn't even a drop of sweat on her forehead.

"You're not so bad yourself." She said with a smirk.

"If I was anywhere near as good as you, we'd still be fighting."

"Probably not." She stated looking down at where her body was positioned above mine. "But you might have been able to hit me. Once."

She made no move to get up, and I didn't want her to move. I felt myself stir as she took her feet off my thighs, her core coming closer to my straining cock.

"How'd you do it?" I asked. "Fight with your eyes closed, I mean."

"I notice my surroundings, even without using my eyes. It didn't take me too long to figure it out, it actually makes it easier to focus on my opponent and not on everything else."

I leaned up on my elbows, which caused her to shift herself in my lap. I tried to hold back a moan, but it came out anyway and she smirked again at my response. Pretending like it didn't happen, I looked up at her even more curious.

"How'd you figure out you could see without your eyes?"

"Meditating. I used to have anger issues, I still do occasionally, but back then I would meditate to center myself." She said smiling down at me. "One day I noticed if I focused on myself hard enough I could see me, in a way. I started doing it with objects surrounding me and found I could see everything, sometimes better than I could if I were using my eyes. Without my eyes, I can see everything from any perspective, not just my own. It's useful in analyzing a situation or fighting."

"Do you think you could teach me?"

"Aren't _you_ supposed to be the one teaching?" She chuckled.

"I have a feeling I'm the one that's going to be doing the learning. I don't know what I can show you that you don't already know." Her eyes traveled my body again, leaving me wanting her even more. _'I know what I want to show you, though.'_

"Maybe you could tell me about your real-world experience. That's something they don't prepare us for: what it's going to be like outside the wards."

"I think I can manage that." I nodded, but looked down at where she was still positioned on top of me. I didn't mind at all, but my inner wolf was starting to claw its way to the surface, begging me to take control of the situation.

"I take it you want me to get off of you now." She said, probably noticing the power shift, but she sounded a little disappointed. I'm glad she'd made herself comfortable, but my growing erection was making _me_ uncomfortable.

"Trust me, that's not what I want." I blurted out before I could stop myself. She smirked down at me, and I fell back down on my back groaning in embarrassment. She chuckled.

"It's the inner wolf. I get it. It didn't take kindly to me beating you and now it still can't show its dominance and it's getting a little angry at me. You are an Alpha, after all. You like to be in control." She shrugged, looking indifferent about our position.

"You're an Alpha, too, you know. Though, it appears your Alpha is a little more controlled than mine is." I stated, a little miffed that my self-control was so weak around her.

"I'm sure I can help you with your self-control." She whispered seductively, leaning down, putting her face an inch from mine. My hands flew to her hips, holding her in place, though it really just pushed her further down onto my dick, which wasn't helping the situation.

I kept telling myself that she was underage and my student, but my body didn't want to listen to me. It craved her touch, her scent, and it demanded that I kiss her. Her hands slowly crept their way up my chest and around my neck. Her body was parallel to mine, her breasts brushing my chest. Her breath was even across my face, whereas mine was ragged and shallow. The desire to kiss her was so extensive I had to close my eyes to shut off one of my senses and restrain myself from meeting her lips.

My fingers dug into her flesh and I willed my body to obey my mind. Her body was softer than I imagined, which belied her powerful muscles. She pulled the hair tie out of my hair, causing it to spread out underneath my head. Her nimble fingers ran through my sweaty hair, and I released a quiet moan.

"I think your self-control is just fine, Comrade." Her laugh made me open my eyes. She'd leaned back and was just sitting above me. When she stopped laughing, she got up off me and I let out a loud sigh of relief, but didn't move from my spot on the ground. "Is that it for today, or are you actually going to show me something I haven't seen before?"

"No. I think that's it for today. I was just trying to get a close assessment on your skill level, but now I don't know why I was even assigned to mentor you. I do believe it's going to end up being the other way around. You're going to be teaching me so I can be a better Guardian for Princess Lissa."

"You really should just call her Lissa. She's not going to like you very much if you keep calling her 'Princess.'" She smirked and turned back to the locker room to change. "See you later, Comrade!"

"Will you be here in the morning, again?" I called out to her.

"I plan on it. Unless the weather is _just beautiful_ in the morning, I usually run in wolf form, then come in here for weight lifting and abusing a punching bag." She said as she stood at the door to the girls' locker room. "I start running around 4:15 p.m. and am in here around 5."

I nodded and watched as she pushed the door open and disappeared inside. I finally pushed myself off the ground and moved out of the gym. I got my breathing and my body under control, taking deep breaths and thinking back about our sparring session.

She didn't even throw a punch, so I didn't really know how well she could fight. I did know that she was fast, really fast. She could have taken me down from the first move I made, yet she toyed with me. Not that I really minded. I did want to know, however, how well she fought. They didn't fight in her combat class, but I doubted any of her peers could take her down.

Ugh! She was magnificent!

I don't know how such a wonderful creature actually existed. She was too good to be true. When she was just a dream, I didn't have a problem imagining her in real life. Her real-life form was way better than I could have ever imagined.

I'd finally gotten my breathing under control but now my heart rate was going haywire. I was having a hard time not imagining her above me. I couldn't make my body stop remembering how she felt pressed up against me. The way her fingers threaded through my hair, how her scent assaulted my senses, clouding my brain with thoughts of only her.

The Alpha in me wanted to stake my claim, but I couldn't do that to her. Not only would I not be able to claim her forcefully, because she'd beat me to a pulp, but she was too young to be claimed. But my body longed for her since the moment I laid eyes on her. Before then, even. In the dream I wanted her. Not in a sexual sense, but in a partnership sense.

I felt whole when she was around, and I hadn't felt like that ever, even when Ivan was alive. I'd just met this girl today, yet I wanted her around me all the time. I'd barely been out of her presence for ten minutes, and I felt like I was going through withdrawals.

I needed to have a chat with Alberta. If I was going to be "mentoring" Rose, she needed to know that I was attracted to her, and I didn't know if I would be able to hold myself back from her.

I let out a low growl as an image of Rose straddling me flickered through my mind.

What was wrong with me? What happened to my self-control?

My body lurched to the left, where I saw Rose skipping across campus. Her beautiful dark brown hair bouncing behind her. Her breasts jiggled with each step causing my cock to twitch in my pants.

Her head swiveled in my direction. When she spotted me, she smirked. God damn it! She knew exactly what she was doing to me and she found it amusing! I found myself snarling at the effect she had on me.

Her laugh was carried on the wind as she continued her way to the Novice dorms. I watched, frozen to my spot as she disappeared inside. When she was gone from my sight, I turned back and continued to my room. I don't know how I was going to get through this year, or this partnership. If Rose was going to be Guarding alongside me, I was going to have a difficult time focusing.

She would be the death of me.


	10. Chapter 10

**RPOV**

"So, what do you think of your new Guardian?" I asked Lissa as she was sprawled across my bed on her stomach, flipping through some fashion magazine. She was already in here when I got back from my "training" with Dimitri. She was the only person, other than the Guardians with a master key, who had access to my room.

"He's _hot_." She said with a smirk. "And he's totally into you."

"Trust me, I can feel it. He's an Alpha, and the power waves he produces are stronger than any I've ever experienced before." I felt a rush of heat between my legs just thinking about the vibes that Dimitri gave off. "But nothing can happen between us. He's my mentor, not to mention my Guarding partner and older than me."

"He's technically not your Guarding partner for a few months. But I understand that you're his student and it would be unprofessional of him; however, that doesn't change the way he looks at you. I guarantee you, if there were no restrictions, he'd have you up against a wall by now."

I laughed and sat down in front of the bed, facing Lissa. She was probably right, but I wasn't going to admit it out loud. I'd let him, too. I'd had plenty of guys try to gain my attention, but none of them did it for me. I wasn't lying when I told Jesse that I need a real Alpha, and now that I've found him, it turns out I can't actually have him. I pushed all thoughts of Dimitri to the back of my mind and focused on the blonde Moroi in front of me.

"You ready?" I asked.

Lissa sat up and crossed her legs. She rolled her shoulders back and relaxed. Her eyes closed as she drew in a deep breath.

"What are we trying this time?" She asked after focusing herself.

"I want you to try to find a specific person, I don't care who it is, and try to determine what they're thinking." I told her. Reaching out with my Spirit, I found hers and kept a close eye on it. My magic wasn't as strong as hers but I could do enough to help with her Darkness.

That was my gift. I was protective by nature, especially of Lissa. My power manifested as a magnet for negative energy. I could take the negative emotions and effects of her Spirit use and bring them into me. It wasn't very healthy on my part, but we managed.

Lissa shook out her hands, cracked her neck on either side, then went into her trance. I could see her eyes moving behind her eyelids as she searched for her subject. We'd been working on this particular skill for a few weeks now, the last time she'd managed to go for a few minutes, but the connection wasn't very strong so the thoughts didn't make much sense.

Her hands clenched into fists, letting me know she'd found someone. I waited for a few moments for her to start telling me who she'd found and what they were thinking. Those moments passed, and a blush formed on her pale face.

"Who is it, Lissa?" I asked, curious as to what thoughts this person was having to make her blush.

"Oh, umm…it's Guardian Belikov." A shy smile spread across her face, blush still in place. "It didn't take long to find a strong thought, and when I latched onto it, it brought me to him."

"What thought is he having?"

"Very impure thoughts as it turns out. It started out innocently enough, but now…this man's self-control must be wonderful."

"What does that mean, Liss?"

"It means I was right in my assumptions. He would have you more places than just a wall." I stared at her in shock.

Could Dimitri really be thinking of me like that? I'd only just met him today, but I'd been so close to kissing him. I could still feel his hard body underneath me. I could still feel the way he reacted to me. I could still feel his silky hair as I ran my fingers through it, the lust that flashed in his eyes before he started trying to gain control. The way his fingers sank into my hips as he tried to keep me in place.

"Oh, Rose. This is _so hot!_ " Lissa exclaimed, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What's going on, Liss!?"

"He's definitely an Alpha. You'd never doubt that from the way he's thinking about you right now.

"Lissa, tell me what's going on!" She smirked but then scrunched her eyebrows together.

"Let me try something." She said suddenly. "Close your eyes and focus on me."

I did as she instructed and waited. I felt her push at my subconscious and allowed her entrance. My mind was suddenly assaulted by images of myself and Dimitri: naked.

Dimitri had me pressed against a tiled wall, I could faintly hear the sound of running water leading me to believe we were in the shower, but he was solely focused on me and didn't give much thought on the surroundings of his imagination. One of his hands was gripping my hip, holding me in place, one leg was bent, taking most of my weight. His other hand was tangled in my wet hair. My lips were parted and I was panting wildly.

Dimitri's head was lowered to my neck, where he was peppering kisses and biting lightly. One of my hands had wound its way through his hair while the other was raking my nails down his back. I could see red marks following in their wake.

"Roza." Dimitri moaned, and it was accompanied by an animalistic growl. He moved me up the wall so his mouth was perfectly in line with my breasts. He attached his mouth to one nipple and move the hand that had been playing with my hair to the other. He rolled the already hard peak between his thumb and index finger while I saw his tongue circling its twin.

Taking in Dimitri as a whole was magnificent. The muscles of his back rippled as my hands moved over it. The butt cheek that sat atop the leg holding me in place was flexed, the muscle sculpted to perfection. His legs were bulging with the muscle contained within them. Between our two bodies I could just make out his cock. To say it was huge would probably be a massive understatement.

The turgid member was pressing against my thigh, begging to find its home within me. He'd finally released my breasts from his ministrations and lowered me to attach his lips to mine. His kiss was hungry but passionate, which was a juxtaposition from his animalistic attack on my body.

He shifted, grasping his shaft in his hand and lining it up with my dripping heat. Before he could push himself inside me the images stopped coming. My eyes flew open and I stared at Lissa in shock.

"Did that just happen?" I asked quietly, a little embarrassed that Lissa had witnessed that.

"That was all in his imagination." Lissa giggled. "He likes you more than I thought."

"I don't think I'll be able to have a conversation with him without wondering what he's thinking now…" I said rubbing at my face with my hands. I'd been frustrated all day being around Dimitri and his Alpha waves, but this was a whole different level of frustration. "I just met this man today, Liss. How am I going to get through the rest of the year knowing _that_ is what he wants to be doing?"

"You could always mess with his mind. You know what you saw, but he doesn't know that you saw it." She smirked deviously, which reminded me that I needed to pull her Darkness. Without letting on to what I was doing, I reached out and scraped the Darkness off her soul, leaving it glittery and golden. "I say that we tease him until he finally gives in."

"And by 'gives in,' you really mean until he acknowledges his attraction, right?" I asked hesitantly. "Or did you mean all of it?" Wiggling her eyebrows was the only response I received.

"I had a chat with Alberta." She said immediately and effectively changing the subject. "She said that this weekend would be the best for having our trip. She said that we should make it a weekend trip to give you more of a chance of finding something and have enough to last a few months."

"Liss, I can't have you outside the wards for multiple nights, especially if I'm out hunting. It isn't safe."

"Alberta assured me that I'll have plenty of protection. I'll have you and Guardian Belikov plus four other Guardians. She wants to make sure that you're strong enough to make it through until winter break."

"Alright, fine. What are we shopping for this time, anyway?"

"Dresses. There's the Equinox Dance in a month and then the Winter Formal right before winter break starts. You'll need dresses for both. Plus, if we're dragging Dimitri along on a shopping expedition, there will be plenty of opportunities to make him squirm."

"When did you get to be so devious?" I asked chuckling.

"I learn from the best." She winked at me. "And just so you know, when we're actually shopping, you're not officially on duty as my Guardian. I know there is no way to get you to _not_ be my Guardian when we're outside the wards, but officially you're there to try things on, and then not get caught sneaking out at night."

"That'll be difficult with Belikov alert all night. I have a feeling that he's going to be very observant and not just of me. He won't want a repeat of his last charge." I said sadly before attempting to bring the conversation back to lighter topics. "Who all will be going with us, other than the Guardians?"

"That's up to you. I'd like Christian to go with, but if you don't want him to tag along, I don't want him to tag along. Do you have anyone you want to go with us?"

"Christian can come. In fact, let's just make it a friend weekend. We'll get all the guys to tag along. Is that alright with you?"

"Sounds good to me!" Lissa squealed. "I can't wait to go shopping!"

I rolled my eyes at her eagerness and fell back, staring up at the ceiling. My mind was still fully processing what Lissa and I had seen in Dimitri's mind. I admit that being wtih him sexually would be fantastic. The teenage hormonal side of me begged me to find him and demand he live out his fantasy. The virginal side of me was warning me that he might not be the one that I had been waiting for.

The way my body reacted to his made me question the truth behind my virginal side. I'd made out with more than my fair share of males on campus, but none of them really did anything for me. I'd never felt the desire for more, but with Dimitri it was completely different. I hadn't even kissed the man yet, but I wanted him buried inside me.

"I wonder what he's going to do." Lissa said laying back on my bed, joining me in a staring contest with the ceiling.

"Who?"

"Dimitri. I wonder what he's going to do about you. It's obvious he's _extremely_ attracted to you, but you're still a minor and his student. He's not doing a very good job at hiding his interest, and Alberta's going to notice eventually. He's got to do something."

"What can he do? I mean, there isn't much he can do, right? He can't do anything with me, not until I turn eighteen and graduate, but I doubt he'll be able to hold out that long. If he tells Alberta, what's she going to do?"

"She could make an exception. Technically, she is your legal guardian, so if he was looking for consent, he'd have to ask her. I don't know about the whole mentoring thing, though. If he does want to try something, he'll have to talk to Alberta first and then ask you. If you're curious enough, you could talk to her first."

"Nah, if he really wants some of this, he'll have to work for it." I laughed and quietly calculated the possibility of Dimitri talking to Alberta. "Would it bother you if we did actually start something? I mean, I don't know how long it could last if we're both guarding you."

"I can always get a different Guardian other than Dimitri. I'd never replace you, but if he wasn't also Guarding me, then you two could be together."

"What if he gets reassigned to someone halfway across the world?" I don't even know why I was entertaining the idea, but on the off chance that we became an item, I wanted to know what would happen to us after graduation.

"What if he Guards Christian?" I thought about it for a minute or two.

"That could work." I said. "That is, if he actually wants a relationship."

"So, it's settled, _when_ he gets his act together and talks to Alberta, after graduation he can request an allocation to be Christian's Guardian." I smiled at her optimism. I really hoped it was a "when" and not an "if."

"I think that this is going to be the best senior year, ever."


	11. Chapter 11

**DPOV**

I finally plucked up enough courage to go have a chat with Alberta. It'd been three days. Three days of torture. Rose had kept up her "Self-Control Training" and each "session" was making it harder to refuse her.

She'd been asking about trying to shift in the middle of a fight, but in order for that to happen, I'd have to see her naked. If I saw her naked that would be the death of me. There would be no stopping my Alpha. He'd take her without a moment's hesitation. So far, I'd only allowed myself the occasional fantasy to keep me sane, but it didn't seem to be helping. If anything, the fantasies made it worse.

The dreams weren't helping, either. I was no longer having nightmares, which was a good thing, but the nightmares were replaced with erotic dreams. Sometimes we would be in wolf form and sometimes as humans, but either way, I would be chasing Rose through the woods. In human form, her soft flesh was bare to me, allowing my eyes to feast on every curve of her body. In wolf form, her powerful shape teased me as she ran.

Somehow, I would always catch her. I'd pin her beneath me, pressing my body against hers to keep her still. The feeling of her body wriggling underneath mine made my cock harden. I'd lower my head to the crook of her neck and place soft kisses, waiting for her to give in to me. Once, she'd nipped at my ear, causing me to release a low growl. If we were in wolf form, we'd Change. In human form, we'd give ourselves over to the other's caresses.

Her hands were soft and light as they traveled my body, while mine felt rough against her smooth skin. It was always the same, we'd kiss, suck and nip, preparing ourselves for what we both really wanted, but as soon as I lined myself up with her sex, I'd wake with a start. Each night since meeting her was the same. The same dream, the same state of breathlessness when I woke, the same painful erection that even a cold shower couldn't help, and the same desire for Rose. The desire was changing, however; it was growing.

By Thursday, I knew I needed to have a talk with Alberta or I wouldn't be able to control myself for much longer. I hesitated outside the door to her office, pausing to get my mind straight before talking to the Captain of the Academy's Guardians. Resolute in my decision, I knocked.

"Enter." I heard a voice call from within. I pushed my way into the room, careful to close the door behind me.

"Guardian Petrov, may I have a word?" Alberta looked up from her stack of paperwork, looking surprised to see me.

"Dimitri. Of course! Sit, please." She said motioning toward a chair in front of her desk. "And call me 'Alberta.'"

"Thank you, Alberta." I said kindly, lowering myself into the chair.

"What can I do for you today, Dimitri?" She asked with a soft smile on her face. "Are you settling in alright?"

"Yes, I'm settling in just fine. I was wanting to talk with you about Rosemarie." I stated nervously.

"Is she okay?" She asked, alert and concerned.

"She's fine." I said hastily. "She's great, even. I'm not really sure why I'm mentoring her, though. She's by far the best Novice in the class, probably the best Novice in any graduating class. I'd go as far as saying she's the best Novice in the past century, maybe more." Alberta chuckled.

"She's pretty wonderful. You're mentoring her because I was instructed to have you do so. The orders came from the queen herself. It appears that you are the best Guardian, so she wanted you to train the best Novice, make her better. Tatiana is impressed with Rose on a professional basis, but not on a personal one. I have a feeling that by appointing you as her mentor, she'd hoped you'd teach Rose restraint."

"She's been teaching me more than I've been teaching her. As for her self-control, I do believe she has a great deal of it." I looked down at my hands. I'd never been this nervous before in my life, I was an Alpha! "I have a question, and my continuation as Rose's mentor hinges on its answer."

"What is the question?" Alberta's face turned very serious and she leaned forward in her chair, looking at me expectantly.

"I've developed an…attachment…to Rose in these past few days, and I'm finding it hard to concentrate on anything but her. I've never known anyone like her, and I doubt I ever will again." I explained, shifting in my chair uncomfortably at the intensity of her gaze.

"What are you getting at, Belikov?" I gulped before answering.

"I'd like permission to date Rose. If I can, I can probably make it through training sessions with her and keep my focus, otherwise, I'll be far too distracted to even attempt to teach her anything."

"You want to _date_ Rose?" She asked a little stunned.

"Yes."

"May I ask your intentions?" Alright, so that wasn't an outright refusal.

"I don't want anything physical until after she's eighteen. I just want to get to know her. I already feel so close to her, and it's killing me trying to convince myself she's just a student." Her eyes narrowed as she studied my face.

"Does she want this?"

"I haven't talked to her about it. I wanted permission, first, before I asked her." Alberta nodded slowly, mulling everything over in her mind.

"I want you to understand this, Belikov: Rose is extremely special. She's unlike anything you've ever known. There isn't anyone like her in the entire world. She has secrets and it would be in your best interest if you wait for her to come to you with them. Don't try digging, because you won't like what you find. Let her come to you." I'm sure the look of confusion was all over my face because she rolled her eyes before speaking very plainly.

"I'm giving you permission, Dimitri. You may ask Rose for a relationship. Should she want it, you may date her. You'll have to clear anything special you might want to do with me first, but you have my permission and my blessing. But know this, if you hurt her, in anyway. I will be the least of your worries. There are a lot of people in this world who want to see Rose happy, and you don't want to anger _any_ of them."

"I understand. Thank you. Thank you so much!" I enthused.

"We do have some other business to discuss, while you're here. I was going to call you in later today, but seeing as you're here now, I'll just tell you." I sat up straighter, going back into Guardian mode to match her shift in demeanor. "As you may already know, Rose and The Princess are going on a shopping trip tomorrow. As Princess Dragomir's Guardian, you must go with them."

"When do we leave, where will we be going, and for how long?"

"You'll be leaving after classes tomorrow. You'll be travelling a few hours away to Billings. There's a larger selection there for the girls to choose from. You'll be staying Friday and Saturday, before coming back on Sunday. You'll be accompanied by four extra Guardians. The girls have requested that Novice Ashford and Castile and Lord Ozera join them. I've agreed."

"Five Guardians for two Royals and three Novices?" I asked skeptically. In a town as big as Billings, with the threat of Strigoi and Pricolici, that didn't seem like enough.

"Rose will be acting as a sixth Guardian when they aren't shopping, and Ashford and Castile will be using this as a training exercise. They will be shadowing a Guardian of their choice, other than you and Rose. The two of you will be Guardian partners. Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all. Where will we be staying?"

"DoubleTree. You will be in an adjoining room to the Princess and Rose, while the other Guardians will be in the surrounding rooms adjacent to yours. During the day when they'll be shopping, you are to go everywhere with Lissa. Rose will be there in the changing rooms and restrooms, but you should be in the store with them wherever they go."

"Anything else?" I asked nodding, committing everything to memory.

"Yes. Remember. Rose is a Guardian on this trip. She can take care of herself. If she says she's doing something important, believe her, and let her go."

My eyebrows furrowed together, but she'd already turned back to her paperwork. I tried to shake it off, but the questions stuck in the back of my mind. I rose from my chair, thanking her again, and exited her office. I only had a few minutes before training with Rose, and I did not want to miss a single second with her.

When I reached the gym, I found Rose already there doing her stretches. I didn't think she'd heard me enter because she continued on stretching without looking up. I slowly backed into the shadows of the doorway to watch her. I'd never been the type of man to lurk in the shadows, creepily watching attractive women, but something about Rose made me stop and stare every time I saw her. Today was no different.

Her stretching consisted of normal stretches everyone would do, but she also added yoga moves into the mix. She claimed that it made her more flexible, and I wasn't going to question it if it meant she continued to do them.

I watched her lie flat on her stomach and push herself up into Cobra for a few seconds before lowering herself back to the ground. Even though her arms were extended, her hips stayed firmly on the mat. After doing that a few more times, she pushed her body off the ground and went into downward dog. I know this move is a great stretch on the calves when doing it correctly, but her ass in the air made my body strain.

"Stop staring at my ass, Belikov." Her silvery voice brought me out of my daze and quickly brought a blush to my cheeks. "You're not going to make me say that to you every day, are you?" She asked in amusement after she'd righted herself. She placed one hand on her cocked hip and waited for my answer.

"Probably. I can't help it. It's a great ass." I said nonchalantly. She stared back at me in surprise. I'd never openly complemented her body, but she'd caught me admiring it enough times to get the gist.

"Thanks. I worked hard for it." I ran my eyes over her body.

"I think you've worked hard to make everything about you great." I said as I walked over to the locker room to change. I tried my best to calm my mind, telling myself that I needed to make it through this session before I could talk to her. I donned my gym clothes and walked out of the locker room. I found Rose poised and ready on a sparring mat.

"You ready to get your ass beat, again, Comrade?" She asked with a smirk.

"Only by you, Rose." I said lightly before lowering myself into a defensive position. After the first match, I'd decided to let her make the first move, even if I had to wait a few minutes. I needed to know how well she could fight, so letting her attack first was the only way to do that.

Needless to say, she was fantastic. The first few times she'd taken me down in two seconds flat, but she soon got tired of that and started drawing the fight out. She held back, which was fine by me. It showed me her self-control and more of her abilities.

Today was different though. Today, she seemed to move more slowly, but it wasn't intentional. Her hits didn't have as much power behind them, either. I actually got extremely close to hitting her, and it wasn't by luck. Each time she took me down to the mat, she seemed to be getting more and more tired. After the fifth time, I knew something was wrong.

"Rose, are you feeling okay?" I asked when she got off of me. I sat up, but stayed seated.

"Yeah. I'm just tired, that's all. It's been a long week and I'm looking forward to our shopping trip this weekend." She said after running her hands across her face. "One more? And then we'll be done?" I nodded and pushed myself off the ground.

As this fight began, I realized I might actually have a chance at pinning her. She was tired, or so she said, and it really showed. I was so used to seeing Rose sprint circles around me, that seeing her current speed was like watching a turtle walk. I began anticipating her moves and before she could deliver what I was sure was going to be a nasty kick to my ribs, I grabbed her ankle. With my other hand, I used her momentum to push her thigh back toward her body.

Her center of gravity shifted and we started to fall. I'd positioned myself to land gently on top of her, but she landed with a hard thud anyway. Quickly grabbing her wrists, I pinned them above her head with one hand. My lower body was pressed tightly against hers holding her in place, as my other hand came down over her heart.

She let out a soft groan and let her head fall back against the mat. She'd stopped struggling as soon as my hand made contact with her chest. Reluctantly, I removed my hand from her chest and wrists, but made no move to let her up. I'd fantasized for days about being in this position, albeit with a lot less clothing.

She stared up at me, her breathing heavy and her heart frantic.

"Roza." I whispered as I brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I need to ask you something."


	12. Chapter 12

**RPOV**

"Roza." He whispered, and my breath caught in my throat. I'd heard him call me that in his fantasy, but never out loud. "I need to ask you something."

I still couldn't believe he'd pinned me. I know I was getting weak, but I shouldn't have been _this_ weak. This had been the longest I'd gone without feeding, but I shouldn't have lost my strength this quickly. At the beginning of this week, I'd been perfectly fine, but now…Dimitri had pinned me. Granted, Dimitri is the best Guardian here at the academy, but he shouldn't have been able to pin me.

Taking a quick inventory of my body, though, told me I should let him pin me more often.

"Ask away, Comrade." I tried my best to sound normal, but it came out as a breathless whisper.

"Two things actually." He said looking a bit nervous.

"What's the first thing?"

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" His voice sounded confident, but his face showed both hopefulness and worry.

"A date?" I asked with a smirk. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"Yes. I like you, Rose. I like spending time with you, and it's becoming torture trying to keep myself from feeling something for you or telling myself it's wrong to feel that I feel for you. I'd like your permission to court you."

"Court me? Dimitri, we aren't in the Victorian era, that's not exactly the term you would use."

"It's the term I use because I intend to woo you. I'm not asking you on _a_ date. I'm asking you _to_ date, though the term date seems too juvenile. I want a relationship with you, not a fling."

"A relationship? Like boyfriend/girlfriend?" He nodded. I'll note he was still on top of me, and trying to think logically about a relationship with a gorgeous man is extremely difficult to do when his entire body is pressed against yours. "Before I answer, what's your second question?"

"Second question?" He asked cocking his head to the side.

"You said you had two questions. What's your second one?"

"Oh, yeah." He looked a little timid, which was a contrast to his large demanding form. "May I kiss you?"

My heart stopped. Did he just ask what I think he just asked? Why did he ask? Why didn't he just kiss me? Oh, right, because it's Dimitri, and he intends to "woo" me. He's the perfect gentleman, but I knew his inner wolf wasn't so gentlemanly. To be honest, I wouldn't mind being wooed. I've never had a guy chase me because he wants to know me on a personal level, just on a physical level.

I felt my lungs burning and I realized that I'd stopped breathing and Dimitri was still waiting for his answer, to both questions. I took in a deep breath to try to calm my nerves, but there was no helping them at this point.

"To answer your first question – yes. I, also, would like to spend more time with you and get to know you better. As long as you've talked to Alberta about it, that is." His face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically before his entire face fell.

"And the second question?" I could feel his heart pounding in his ribcage as worry flashed in his eyes.

"The answer to the second question…" I paused for dramatic effect, and just because I'm me. "Dimitri, you never had to ask my permission to kiss me. Just do it."

A wide smile graced his lips for a brief second before he hungrily lowered his lips to mine. Eagerly returning his enthusiasm, I wound my fingers through his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. As I felt my body react to his, I could feel his body react to mine. As my nails gently raked across his scalp, he released a low moan. He'd tried to pull away, but I brought him straight back. Kissing Dimitri was the most pleasurable sensation I'd ever experienced in my life, and I didn't want it to stop, ever.

"Roza." Dimitri mumbled against my lips, attempting to pull back again. His voice was gruff and breathless. I let him move away a little, and instead, set my lips at his jaw, kissing down his throat. "Roza, you need to stop. Despite what you think of my self-control, it isn't that strong."

I gave one last nip at his neck before pulling back. He let out a sigh of relief. I didn't realize until now that I'd wrapped my legs around his hips, effectively holding him in place, not that he seemed to be in a rush to move.

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit." I smirked up at him, releasing my hold on him, yet he stayed put. "I'm sure you've imagined loads of stuff to do to me, yet you hold yourself back." His eyes widened for a second before shaking his head. Lissa was right, messing with his mind is going to be _lots_ of fun.

"Would you mind joining me for a run? In wolf form?" He asked shyly.

"That sounds wonderful, but I really am exhausted. I don't think I have the energy to go for a run right now." I felt bad. I really wanted to spend time with Dimitri, but right now I'm so weak that I don't know how I'm going to make it to my room. I knew if I shifted, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from hunting, and I didn't need Dimitri to see that. I would just have to wait until tomorrow night when I could get away from him without him becoming suspicious. "I honestly feel like falling asleep right here on this gym mat."

"Are you sick?" He asked looking concerned.

"Not that I know of, but my body just needs energy and a break from school."

"It hasn't even been a week yet."

"I know that, but after this weekend I'll be right as rain." I reassured him. He looked hesitant to believe me. "Are you going to get off me any time soon?"

"I don't know. I kind of like where I am." A smirk replaced his concern, but he slowly removed his body from mine. I felt my inner wolf beg for him to return, only with a little less clothing. I felt a power surge from him, but it was gone as soon as I felt it. It seems that he too was trying to tame his inner wolf.

I tried to push myself off the ground but when I sat up, my head started spinning, causing me to fall back down. I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to fight off the desire to pass out from exhaustion.

"Roza!" I felt Dimitri kneel over my prone body, unsure what to do.

"I need Lissa." I managed to get out. "And Alberta. Now."

He quickly bound out the doors running across campus to retrieve the only people that could help me without asking too many questions. I lay in the middle of the gym, unable to move without causing my head to spin and my vision to go blurry. My body was shutting down without the blood that was necessary to keep it going.

I closed my eyes and started to work on getting my body to respond to me. At this point, I didn't know what was normal and what wasn't. I'm sure for a Moroi if they didn't get the blood they needed, they would just be really hungry and feel weak. I'd never reached this stage of hunger, and while the craving for Moroi blood was there, it was like a whisper at the back of my mind. I wanted Strigoi, better yet, I wanted Pricolici.

My mouth watered at the thought of their cool blood running down the back of my throat. Most would find that disturbing, but as a creature who thrives off of blood, it's refreshing. Ugh! What would Dimitri think of me when he finds out? I couldn't keep something like this hidden for long, especially if I was feeling the hunger this intensely.

I heard the rush of footsteps approaching the door, and once again tried to sit up, but with the same results as before. I laid back down, waiting for them to find me.

"Rose!?" I heard Lissa call out as she rushed over to me, reaching me before Dimitri and Alberta were completely in the gym. "Rose, what's wrong!?"

"I'm hungry, Liss." I said quietly as my eyes flicked over to Dimitri's approaching form. "I need to hunt." Her eyes widened.

"Already? You should've been able to make it for another couple weeks before it got this bad."

"Maybe I'm going to have to feed more frequently." I'd given up any pretense of coding our conversation. If Dimitri found out, so be it, I needed to hunt and I wasn't going to tiptoe around it just for his sake or mine. "I need a clear route between here and the wards. Anything outside the wards is fair game."

"Consider it done, Rose." Alberta said turning to make the call.

"Lissa, help me onto my stomach. I need to Shift, but I can't while on my back." I started to move on my own but the light-headedness returned. Lissa carefully helped me roll onto my stomach and I started to Transform. The clothes I was wearing were going to be ruined, but I couldn't care less, we'd be going shopping this weekend, so I could buy more then.

My muscles and bones ached as they Changed, allowing my inner wolf to take control. My wolf form was much stronger than my human form, though it was difficult to ignore the instinct to hunt while in wolf form. I could smell Lissa's sweet Moroi blood as she backed away from my body. I resisted my thirst enough to sprint my way to the doors. I didn't say as I left. Alberta and Lissa would inform Dimitri, or leave him in the dark. I could explain when I got back.

I burst out of the gym in a full sprint. The scent of Moroi blood flooded my senses, but I urged myself toward the ward line. I needed to find an undead creature and soon. I could see Guardians rushing to give me a wide berth as I sped past them. I saw the approach of the ward line and pushed myself harder. I was faintly aware of another Change happening, but I couldn't be bothered to think of who it might be.

Now beyond the ward line, I lifted my snout into the air and took in a large whiff. The smell of death wasn't too far away, and I turned in that direction. If the smell was any indication there was a Pricolici near and a few Strigoi, and they seemed to be traveling together which was extremely odd, but I didn't dwell on that fact too long. They'd all be dead soon.

Following the scent led me to the entrance of a cave. I hesitated for a split second, aware that I was rushing into a cave that I had no way of knowing what was inside, but my hunger won out. I sped through the entrance, ducking under the lip of the cave before straightening back up on the other side. I ran through a wide tunnel before it opened into a large cavern were a small fire was going in the center.

Around the fire sat six Strigoi and toward the back of the cavern lay a Pricolici, all were relatively newly turned, maybe a couple years. When I rushed in, the Strigoi leapt to their feet, turning and hissing menacingly at me. I growled at them, planting my back paws, preparing for an attack. They moved in groups of two. It would have been more beneficial for them to attack as a group, but I wasn't going to correct them on their fighting style.

Using my teeth as a make-shift sword, I tore their heads from their bodies before they even knew I was moving. As the cool blood wetted my tongue, I felt energy fill my body. Soon the six Strigoi were littered headless around me. The Pricolici, during the fight, had pushed itself from its resting spot and watched as I obliterated its traveling companions.

This Pricolici was at least twice my size, probably larger. I grounded myself, waiting for it to make the first move, which it did, but I was prepared. The Strigoi blood was more than enough to fully restore my power and I avoided its powerful jaws easily. I threw myself shoulder first into its side, causing it to stumble, giving me enough time to sink my teeth into the underside of its neck.

The blood that filled my mouth was sweeter than a Strigoi's and the effect took place almost immediately. I couldn't help the moan that escaped my throat as I clenched my jaw closed around the creature's windpipe. The Pricolici was still squirming slightly as I released my hold and proceeded with my decapitation process. I decided to drain the bodies, taking in as much blood as I could, before burning them.

I'd just finished adding the last head to the fire when I heard paws approaching. I turned toward the entrance, prepared to fight when Dimitri's wolf form burst into the cavern. I immediately relaxed and turned back to the fire.

 _"Roza! Are you alright?"_ He asked rushing over to me, moving his head and looking all over my body, checking for injuries.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade. The blood isn't mine."_ He seemed to relax a little at my reassurance before looking over at the fire where the remains of Strigoi and a Pricolici would still be seen.

 _"You did that?"_ I nodded. He looked at me with a mix of fear and awe for a few moments, the sound of the crackling fire the only noise in the cavern. When he finally spoke, his voice entered my mind in a breathless whisper. _"What are you?"_

 _"I am a True Hybrid."_


	13. Chapter 13

**DPOV**

I stood there, momentarily stunned as I watched Rose's massive white form rush out of the gym. I felt a hand on my shoulder, which brought me out of my frozen state. When I looked down, I found Lissa staring up at me with concern.

"Dimitri?" She said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

Instead of answering her, I started running toward the door. Before I fully comprehended what I was doing, my clothes were being ripped from my body by my hands. I started Changing mid-stride, but I didn't let it slow me down. I ran for a few seconds switching between bipedal and quadrupedal.

Once all four of my paws hit the ground, I started picking up speed. I couldn't see Rose, she was too fast and had a head start. I doubt I would catch up with her until she stopped. Judging from the way she ran out of the gym, that might not be for a while.

I lifted my snout into the air, searching for the smell of lavender and vanilla. When my nose caught the scent, I changed my direction slightly to the right, weaving through the woods. The smell was very faint. She probably ran as fast as her legs could take her for her scent to be this faint. I only lost the trail once, very briefly, before I saw a cave in the distance.

I paused, hoping that Rose didn't run into a cave at night without knowing what was inside. When I recalled her haste, I decided it was my best option to go into the cave.

The entrance was small. My ten-foot frame had a little trouble squeezing inside, but I managed. I ran down the long tunnel, sensing tension coming from the other end, but I also smelled death. I ran faster fearing the worst for my Roza.

When I burst into the large space, I skidded to a halt, my eyes quickly scanning the room for threats, but I only found Rose. She had been crouched low, ready for a fight, but upon seeing me, she straightened and turned back to the large fire beside her. After assessing that there was no danger, I quickly made my way to her.

 _"Roza! Are you alright?"_ I asked as I moved, using my head to look over her body for injuries. The only thing I saw was blood, and it stained her pure coat. It was all rather gruesome. My brown coat usually hid the worst of the blood, if I ever got any on me, but Rose's coat would show even the smallest drop of blood. My fear was that some of the blood was hers.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade. The blood isn't mine."_ I relaxed a little but wondered for a moment if she could read my mind. I turned toward where her gaze was fixed. In the middle of the fire, I could see different body parts. I'm assuming the humanoid figures I saw were Strigoi, the heads of which were toward the outside of the flames, yet to be consumed completely. In the mix I could also make out fur.

She'd faced a Pricolici by herself. Not only that, but she did it with at least, from what I could see, four other Strigoi. I glanced over at her but she continued to stare into the flames, watching them dance as they destroyed the evidence of the vicious acts she'd just committed.

 _"You did that?"_ She nodded. I didn't know if I should worship her for the goddess she is, or be fearful of the havoc she could wreak on me. _"What are you?"_

 _"I am a True Hybrid."_ She said finally facing me. Even if she was three feet shorter than me, she held more power than I had ever had in my life. I took a small step backwards, ready to submit, but I don't think she knew my intentions because worry flashed in her eyes. _"You've no need to be scared, Dimitri."_

 _"I'm not scared, Roza. I'm intrigued. I'm fascinated."_ I told her, lowering my head to the ground, not meeting her eyes. _"And, excuse my brazenness, I'm so turned on right now."_

 _"What are you doing?"_ She asked uneasily as I lay down in front of her.

 _"I'm submitting to you."_ I stated plainly. The Alpha in me was trying to make me get back up, but as Rose comprehended what was happening she straightened up and my Alpha shrank back. _"I knew you were powerful, but I didn't know you were this powerful. However, I should've submitted to you the moment I realized who you were."_

 _"Then why did you wait until now?"_ She asked still a little surprised to see me submitting. She'd yet to make a move on her part as Alpha, but I was going to be patient. _"Why submit at all?"_

 _"You're the Alpha I was meant to follow, Rose. I was going to wait until you turned eighteen, so you were at least mature before you had a pack, but you're too powerful, too beautiful, for me to wait until then. I need to be a part of your pack, Roza."_ I looked up quickly to show her my plea, but almost immediately lowered my head back down.

She took a hesitant step forward, and I turned my whole head to the side, giving her access to the underside of my throat. Moving my legs out from under me, I flopped onto my side. She slowly lowered her snout to my neck, breathing deep before growling. The growl emanated from deep within her chest, and I had to hold back a moan of pleasure as she did so. I need to gain control of my body, lest she take my arousal as a sign of dominance.

She snapped her teeth close to my neck before opening her jaws. She took as much of my neck into her mouth as she could and bit down lightly, enough to get the point across but not enough to do any real damage. I squirmed slightly but quickly stopped as she released another growl.

I don't think the submission ritual was supposed to be this erotic, but I think anything I did with Rose would cause me to react this way. I saw her eyes glowing purple as she placed a paw on my neck, holding me down, as she began sniffing my belly. I could feel her fur start to bristle as she traveled further down my body.

I quickly rolled onto my back as soon as her paw was removed from my neck. I laid as still as I could, waiting for her to signal that I could stand. She nipped at the fleshy part of my belly, just under my ribcage before suddenly jumping on top of me. My paws were still in the air, but with her smaller size, her body fit in between all of them. She had her paws spread wide, her snout in my face where it was turned to the side, still not meeting her eyes.

Her lips were pulled back in a snarl, baring her teeth at me and growling loudly. It had to have been the sexiest thing she could have done. When she was satisfied with my reaction, she moved her paws closer together and lifted her head slightly looking down at me with curiosity. I slowly moved my head and looked into her eyes.

There was something different about her eyes, though, they seemed to be glowing. Her lilac eyes had always had a shimmer to them, but they never glowed like this. I felt a little daring, so I raised my head and nuzzled into the side of her head. I breathed a sigh of relief when she reciprocated. She gently licked my nose, sending a small shiver down my spine.

She rested her head in the thick fur of my neck, eyes closed, taking in my scent. My body gave forth an unsolicited whine as I nudged the side of her face. She returned my whine by nipping my neck again, but this time it wasn't for dominance. We rubbed our snouts together, but I sensed her hesitation.

 _"What is it, Roza?"_ I asked quietly. _"Something's bothering you."_

 _"What if –"_ She began before turning away from me. I could see indecision in her eyes so I waited patiently for her to continue. _"What if I'm not a good Alpha?"_

Her question was valid. Most Alphas don't think they'll be good leaders, especially young ones, and Rose isn't even mature yet. I was scared I wasn't going to be a good Alpha, but I never had a pack so I didn't have to worry about it. Now, Rose had me and she wasn't mature. I suppose I should have thought this through a little more, but I was certain she was going to be a great Alpha.

 _"You're going to be a great Alpha, Rose. One of the best."_

 _"But how do you know that?"_ She asked quietly.

 _"I can sense it in you. You're strong, powerful, and focused, but you're also gentle, compassionate, and benevolent. You're beautiful, Roza. Inside and out."_ I comforted while running my nose down the side of her neck. _"You're going to be a True Alpha."_

 _"A True Alpha?"_

 _"Yes. The Alpha other Alphas follow. You've already got me."_

She looked down at me for a few more moments. Her lilac eyes slowly filled with fierce determination. She'd made the decision to become the best Alpha she could be. With a sharp nod, she stepped away from her spot over me, and allowed me to stand. I tried my best to keep a submissive posture, but at my height it was very difficult.

 _"You don't have to keep up with the posture, Comrade. I know you're my Beta, but everyone else can see you as my second. You'll be beside me from now on."_ I felt a sense of pride knowing that she wanted me to be her second, though I would have preferred to be a Paired Alpha. However, I know that she'd just said yes to me today so committing to a Paired Alpha relationship would probably not be the best idea, in case this didn't work out, but I'm hoping that it does. _"We should probably head back. I don't want Lissa and Alberta worrying for too long."_

I nodded and followed her out of the caves. The fire was still burning when we left, but most of the body parts had been consumed. I was concerned that there might be more Strigoi or Pricolici in the caves, considering that there were several branches that split from the main cavern. I voiced my concerns to Rose but she didn't seem too perturbed.

 _"There aren't any more in the caves, Dimitri"_ She sighed after my concern for the caves hadn't died down. _"I would have been able to smell them if there were. I took care of all of them. However, we do need to inform Alberta that it might be a frequented half-way point when they're travelling."_

I relaxed as she explained, allowing myself to enjoy walking beside her now that I wasn't worrying about the possible danger. There was still danger, of course, being outside the wards, but I wasn't concerned for her safety. I'd seen what she's capable of and I knew there wouldn't be many foes that she couldn't take down in a fight.

I didn't know if it was concern for me, herself, or Lissa that made Rose quicken her pace to a slight trot.

 _"Something doesn't feel right."_ Rose said to me before starting to run. She was faster than me, even before in her weakened state, but now there was no way I was going to keep up with her. Regardless, I pushed myself hard and found that I was able to run faster with Rose at my side than when running alone. Maybe it was a pack thing?

 _"What's wrong?"_ I asked, sneaking a glance over at her, but quickly moved my eyes in front of me so I wouldn't run into a tree.

 _"I don't know. I feel like there's something wrong with Lissa, but I can't figure out what it is."_ I understood her strong protectiveness of her best friend and I knew to trust her instincts. An Alpha's instincts were not something to doubt. If they felt something was off, something was off. I learned that the hard way.

 _"How about you find Lissa and I'll check in with Alberta. I'll tell her you'll find her when you've checked in with Lissa."_ She nodded as we crossed back over the ward lines. She ran off in the direction of the Moroi dorms while I navigated my way to the administrative building. I forgot for a moment that I was in wolf form, but quickly realized that it would make opening doors very difficult.

Thankfully, I saw Alberta exiting the building.

 _"Guardian Petrov."_ I called out to her. She stopped, stunned, before realizing that a Lycanthrope was communicating with her and then looked around. When she spotted me, she hurried over to me.

"Is she okay?" She asked hurriedly.

 _"Rose? Yes, she's fine. Better than before."_ I informed her. _"She's checking in on the Princess. She said she felt something was off, so she went straight there. She didn't know how long it would take and she didn't want to leave you worried any longer than she had to, so she sent me."_

"So, she's doing okay? She's not hurt?"

 _"She's doing great. She's covered in blood so if you get reports of a white wolf running across campus covered in blood, it's just Rose and you needn't be worried."_ I joked, but she seemed just as alarmed as if I told her that Rose had been injured.

"Blood?! Why is she covered in blood? She's never come back covered in blood! How many did she find?"

 _"From what I could tell the body parts in the fire, there were at least four Strigoi and one Pricolici."_ I said, and her eyes widened. _"But I suspected there were more than four Strigoi, but I got there after she'd killed them all, and she'd just finished putting all the body parts into the fire."_

"I can't imagine that she feels good after having that much blood." She said looking down calculatingly. "She's never had that much before, but when she's just had one Strigoi she takes a day or two to fight off the blood sickness."

 _"Wait. Blood? She killed them for the blood?"_ I asked astounded. I don't know what I was expecting when I saw her gain power from a kill, but I didn't expect it to be their blood.

"Yes. She needs Strigoi blood to keep her strength. You know she's a True Hybrid, right? Well, like Moroi, she needs blood. However, she can't have normal human blood like a Moroi. She has to have more powerful blood. It started out as craving for Moroi blood, but she quickly discovered that if she had Strigoi blood, she'd need to feed less often."

 _"How often does she need to feed?"_ I asked concerned that my new Alpha would be put in more danger.

"Until now, she'd been fine to go up to four months without feeding, but this time, she got sick really quick and I don't know what changed. It's not like there are many True Hybrids, so we don't really know what to expect. I've got someone working on it, though." I nodded, taking in all that she's said. I started worrying about my Alpha.

 _"Comrade! Come quick!"_ I heard Rose's panicked voice in my head, and I took off.


	14. Chapter 14

**RPOV**

As I left Dimitri to go find Lissa, I ran through a list of places she could be. The most-likely option was that she was in her room, it wasn't that close to curfew, but she wasn't one to chance anything. If she wasn't in her room, she would be with Christian, either in the commons or in the church attic. I was hoping she was in her room, because that would be the first place I was checking.

I could see the Moroi dorms appear in front of me and was very much aware of the small blonde vampire that was rushing out of them.

 _"Lissa! What's wrong?!"_ I asked frantically.

"It's nothing, Rose." She replied shakily.

 _"Don't lie to me."_ I told her, but she seemed to be in shock so I needed to let her calm down a little before getting any information from her. _"How 'bout you follow me back to my room so I can Change, and then we'll talk?"_

She nodded and walked beside me in silence. I could sense her unease and I saw her hands trembling. When we reached the Novice building, Lissa opened the doors leading inside. The hall matron didn't seem fazed by the presence of a seven-foot Lycanthrope and nodded a welcome in our direction. Lissa continued to open doors for me until we were back into the relative safety of my room.

I quickly Changed and got dressed. Once I was fully clothed I sat beside Lissa on my bed, wrapping her in my arms in order to sooth her. This was probably the longest I'd ever seen her go without talking to me, unless, of course, she was asleep.

"What's up, Liss?" I asked gently. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"I don't want to talk about it. It isn't something I want to see again."

"See?" I asked confused. "What did you see?'

"It was in my dorm, like it was waiting for me, when I got back to my room." She said, tears springing to her eyes.

"Do you mind if I go take a look? You can wait here, and if I need to, I'll get help?" She seemed hesitant to agree, but she eventually nodded. I stood from my spot and moved purposefully toward the door. Before I closed the door, I looked back at Lissa, tears streaming down her face, but she stayed silent. I left and made my way to her room, unsure of what would be waiting for me when I arrived.

Halfway up the stairs, I could smell blood. It wasn't human blood, or Moroi, or Lycanthrope, it was an animal of sorts. There wasn't a lot of blood, based on the smell, so maybe the creature was small. As I approached her door, I became aware that the stench was emanating from her room. I paused as I reached for the door handle, a sense of unease was growing inside me, but it didn't feel like my own.

I suppose that as an Alpha I could feel the rest of my pack, but I didn't know what would cause Dimitri to worry at this moment. I assumed he was talking to Alberta and he had nothing to worry about with her. I pushed the feeling to the back of my mind, steeling myself mentally for what lay behind the door.

I pushed the door open, and the smell grew stronger. The sight that lay before me was gruesome, and I'm not sure how Lissa made it out of the building without throwing up. Lissa had her own room, decorated very much in her taste, but now everything was covered in a spray of blood. In the middle of her bed was the source of the blood, it looked like a fox, but I couldn't tell for sure.

My eyes darted from one spot to the next, trying to determine how the fox's blood ended up outside its body. I didn't see a knife, and I didn't think anything was out of place, well, other than the dead fox. Whoever did this, didn't touch any of her belongings, they just left a dead, bloody fox for her to find. I moved closer to the bed to get a better look at the creature. I didn't want to touch it, but there appeared to be a piece of paper placed under the small body.

I gently eased the note from under the dead mammal and unfolded it. Like the rest of the room, the note was splattered with blood, but thankfully it didn't obscure the writing.

 _I know what you are. You won't survive being here. I'll make sure of it. Leave NOW. It's the only way you might live through this._

 _"Comrade! Come quick!"_ I shouted to my Beta. I felt his panic surge again, but I tried to ignore it lest it make me panic. I didn't know what this note meant. "I know what you are?" What does that even mean? I know Lissa is special, being a Spirit user and all, but it was hardly a secret or private knowledge. She declared her magic publicly and proudly at the end of last year.

However, it didn't really matter what it meant, it was a direct threat to the life of a Princess and my best friend, and I was going to take it seriously. The person who did this might not be able to take a Moroi life, but they had no qualms taking the life of a fox. I wasn't going to risk Lissa's life because I failed to take this threat seriously.

 _"Roza! I can't get into the building!"_ I heard Dimitri's panicked voice filter into my mind, I guess he hadn't Changed yet. I ran downstairs and flew to the door that he paced outside of. I stepped aside to let Dimitri through, his giant form barely fitting through the doorway as he crouched down.

I led the way to Lissa's room, leaving a stunned dorm matron watching as we walked past. Despite his large form, Dimitri navigated the halls and stairwell gracefully, it was quite impressive. I would have complimented him if we hadn't been in such a rush.

In my hurry to get downstairs, I hadn't bothered to close the door to Lissa's room, but no one was out in the hallways, so no one saw anything. I stopped beside the door, motioning for Dimitri to look through. His massive wolf form wasn't going to fit in the room, so he couldn't do much other than stick his head inside.

 _"When did this happen?"_ He asked in a serious tone, his worry for me subsiding and his worry for Lissa growing.

"She said it was like this when she got back from dinner. She's currently in my room trying to calm down." I responded before showing him the note. "I found this under the fox."

 _"What does it mean?"_ Dimitri asked after reading it a few times.

"I've no idea, but it's a direct threat to Lissa, and I'm not going to stand by and take this lightly. I'm going to start Guarding her daily. I'm not allowing her to come back to this room without a Guard, though I doubt she wants to sleep here anyway." I said looking back into the bloodied room.

 _"I'll go have a talk with Alberta. You go and check up on Lissa."_ He said nudging his snout against my hand. I gently ran my hand down the side of his face before stopping to scratch behind his ear. I know it's a cliché spot to scratch, but it really does feel good. I could see Dimitri's agreement as his eyes closed, and his head started tilting to the side.

"When you get done, come to my room, preferably as a human." I gave him a quick kiss on the end of his wet nose. We walked silently out of the Moroi dorms. I broke off to the Novice dorms while he headed back to the Guardian building, though I could see Alberta's form off in the distance, making her way toward us. Letting Dimitri handle that, I went to go comfort my best friend.

"Lissa?" I asked easing the door to my room open. I peered around and found Lissa's sleeping form in the middle of my bed. Quietly, I stepped into the room. I could see tears staining her pale face, and my mind flashed images of a dead fox. I shuddered before sitting down in my desk chair, thinking about the possible options for Lissa to be protected.

I was more than willing to guard her all the time. I didn't need much sleep, and I was already ahead of my class. If I could take my trials now, I could be promised soon, and guard Lissa all the time. However, I doubt she would want me to graduate early. She'd been planning our graduation party since the beginning of last year, and I wasn't about to ruin her plans just because I was scared for her, besides she has a Guardian.

Dimitri could Guard her, at least most of the time. I know he wasn't getting as much sleep as a Lycanthrope needs, but he seems to be able to function well without sleep, and it's obvious that he cares for his charge. I didn't know what Alberta was going to say about the whole situation, but I needed to be patient and wait until Lissa was awake so we could talk things through.

Just as I was finishing that thought, Lissa began to stir.

"Rose?"

"Hey, Lissa." I said coming over to sit on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so great. I'm just concerned where I'm going to be sleeping. I don't feel comfortable going back to my dorm and I definitely don't want to sleep in that room ever again." She said, her voice wavering.

"You can stay here until we can figure something out. Dimitri will be coming over soon. He's talking to Alberta about a few things. I think that we should take the weekend to talk things over. We are still going shopping, right?" I asked. "I know we use the trips to cover my hunting, but since I just hunted we don't have to use it as cover, we really can just shop."

"I think that's just what I need." Lissa said with a genuine smile. "I think it's going to be good to get away from St. Vlad's for a little while."

"I know. I could use a break, and it's just the first week!" I exclaimed, extracting a laugh from Liss. "I hope the rest of the year won't be like this."

"It's going to be the longest year if not." Lissa said solemnly. "But like everything else, we'll get through it together."

I reached out and gave her a hug, she returned it tightly. Her thin arms were wrapped around me in a strength I didn't know she possessed.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked when she pulled back.

"I'm going to be just fine, as long as I have you." She smiled sweetly before her face turned into a smirk. "So…are you going to tell me what happened between you and my Guardian?"

"What do you mean?" I asked evasively.

"I mean that no man would react that way unless he felt something for you. You didn't see him when he came to get us at your request. He was frantic, desperate, we could barely understand what he was trying to say. All I got was "Roza" and "sick" before I took off running, Alberta was a little slower on the uptake."

"I noticed you got there several moments before the two of them."

"Yep. And then you changed and ran out of the gym, he stood there in shock for a few seconds before he too bolted out the door. You should have seen it. I've never seen a Lycanthrope Transform so quickly and in mid-stride!" My eyes widened, rarely would you find a wolf capable of doing such a difficult process on the move. "So, are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Alright." I sighed. She clapped her hands eagerly and sat up straighter, looking at me expectantly. "There really isn't that much to tell. He asked me out, and I said yes, and then we kissed."

"You kissed him!?" Lissa screamed, and I blushed, immediately quieting her.

"Gosh, Liss. Do you want the entire building to know?" I asked when she'd brought her giddiness down to a manageable level. "Yes, we kissed, and it was fantastic. Oh, and he submitted to me."

"Submitted to you? That's kind of kinky." She said with a sassy smirk.

"Not like that. I mean he submitted as my Beta. I'm an Alpha now, officially." I said proudly.

"Why would he do that?"

"He apparently felt it the right thing to do. He told me that I would be a True Alpha, an Alpha that other Alphas submit to because they want to be part of their pack." My pride suddenly turned to uncertainty. "What if I'm not a good Alpha, Liss? Then what do I do?"

"You're going to be a great Alpha, Roza." Dimitri said sweetly from my doorway. I hadn't even been aware that it had opened, but both he and Alberta were standing at my door. Alberta looked a little hostile towards Dimitri, but I couldn't figure out why until she spoke, her voice low, sounding calm. However, anyone that knew her would understand that she was anything but calm.

"You submitted to her?"


	15. Chapter 15

**DPOV**

"Yes." I tried swallowing past the lump in my throat. I suppose that the kindness I found when asking to date Rose, was nonexistent when it came to submitting to her as an Alpha.

"Why would you do that?" Alberta asked calmly, too calmly if you ask me. "She's not even eighteen yet."

"I submitted because I want her as my Alpha." I stated simply. "I didn't know I needed permission to submit to her."

"Of course, you needed my permission!" She shouted, causing me to back up a step. She might be more than a foot shorter than me, but she was scary when she wanted to be. Given that she was extremely protective of Rose, I'm thinking she wanted to be. "I told you earlier today that you would need my permission for anything when it came to Rose!"

"You said that was only for if I wanted to do something special for her." I replied, but she didn't seem to see my reasoning.

"You and I will have a discussion later, Belikov." She growled, narrowing her eyes dangerously at me before turning to the girls still sitting on Rose's bed. Rose was watching the encounter in amusement while Lissa was looking shocked at Alberta's outburst. "Princess, Rose, we're going to move up when you're leaving. You'll be heading out in a couple of hours, so I suggest packing. Princess, if you don't feel comfortable going back to your room to pack, I can get whatever you need."

"That won't be necessary, Alberta." Rose cut in before Lissa had a chance. "I'm going to pack for Lissa. However, what are we going to do about the developing issue?"

"Right, about that. Belikov and I decided that it would be best if you were guarded constantly. If it's okay with you, Princess, we're going to move you into a suite style room in the Guardian dorms. You, Rosemarie, and Guardian Belikov will be sharing the suite, and given that you'll be in the Guardian dorms, you should be constantly protected from anyone trying to get into your room."

"That sounds like a really good idea." Lissa responded, sounding happy about the prospect of living with her best friend until the end of the year. "However, I don't think that I could go back to my room to pack up my stuff." She ended with a shiver, and I had to repress my own. I was no stranger to blood and gore, but the scene that flashed in my mind was gut-wrenching, regardless.

"Don't worry about that, Liss. I'll take care of everything." Rose said wrapping her arms protectively around her future charge. I hated the idea that Rose would have to grow up sooner than her schooling dictated, but then again, I had submitted to her less than three hours ago, so I guess I was part of her having to grow up. "Would you like to start packing for me while I start packing for you?"

"Sure." Lissa responded still a little shaken, but looking much more confident knowing she had her best friend to protect her.

"Dimitri, do you mind staying here with Lissa?" Rose directed toward me, and I nodded in agreement. While I wanted to go with Rose, just in case whoever did this came back with more aggressive measures, I knew Rose could handle herself. I also knew from her tone it wasn't really a question, and my Beta self told me my Alpha was commanding me to protect Lissa, so I would. "I'll be back in a bit."

I watched silently as she left. Alberta turned to follow her, shooting me a murderous glare that promised untold pain for later. I resisted the urge to shudder as the door closed behind them with a quiet thud.

"Do you need any help?" I asked as I saw Lissa move toward Rose's closet, reaching for a suitcase that was placed on the top shelf. Lissa was about to have to stand on her toes to reach it, how Rose managed to get it up there was beyond me. When she turned to me with a pleading look in her eyes, I stepped forward, easily pulling the suitcase from its perch.

"Thank you, Dimitri." Lissa said as I placed the suitcase on the bed, unzipping it and leaving it open for her to fill. She moved to the chest of drawers near the door and I sat in the desk chair near the window on the other side of the room.

"How did Rose manage to get her own room?" I asked as I studied my surroundings. There were pictures of Rose and her friends pinned up on the wall above her bed, a string of white lights ran along the top molding, giving the space enough light to see by but it lacked the harshness of a fluorescent light fixture. There were a few articles of clothing littering the floor, but Lissa quickly picked those up and placed them in the hamper on the inside of Rose's closet.

There were a few non-textbook books sitting on her desk, the subjects ranged from mythical dragons and spy academies, to the psychology of serial killers and a few classics. I'm not sure what surprised me more, the fact that Rose had read _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ or that she seemed to have a fascination with serial killers. Knowing Rose's intelligence level, I decided it was the serial killers.

I picked up one of the books on the most macabre killers to exist, trying to ignore Lissa digging in Rose's underwear drawer as she pulled out bras and their matching panties.

"Which one do you think Rose will want to wear?" I looked up at Lissa's sudden question to see her holding up two different swimsuits. The one in her left hand was a bright blood-red, the top would be less revealing than the bottoms. It had a high neck, but most of it was made from lace, the cups on the bra being the only thing backed by a solid fabric. The swimsuit in her right hand was solid black. The bottoms were high waisted while the top was a bandeau of sorts.

I tried my hardest to keep myself from picturing Rose in either of them, but my mind rushed to create an image of Rose's lean, well-muscled body barely clothed, dripping wet as she stepped out of a pool. I discretely lowered the book I still had in my hands to cover my growing erection.

"What about the bottoms of the black one and the top of the red one?" I suggested, hoping that if Rose had more of her body covered, I would be able to resist her. I meant it when I told Alberta I wanted to wait until she was eighteen until our relationship progressed physically, but I knew if I saw Rose in such little clothing, I wouldn't be able to stop myself.

"I think that could work." Lissa said after a moment, studying the two options before packing my suggested outfit.

I tried to calm myself, but nothing seemed to be working. Now that my mind had an image of Rose in next to nothing, it didn't want to let it go. I looked down at the book in my hands and opened to a random page, hoping the gruesome details would help me gain control of my body.

"Do you have a favorite?" Her voice came from the direction of the doorway. I hadn't even heard it open. Surprisingly, I found the subject interesting, and the psychology behind it was fascinating. I'd already read about some guy and his murder castle, a real-life killer clown, and a black widow that killed any man that came near her. "My favorite is Dennis Rader."

"Your favorite?" I asked in confusion. Surely, she couldn't mean her favorite serial killer, that was just creepy.

"My favorite serial killer. Not 'favorite' in the sense that I approve of what he did, but my 'favorite' as in his story. It makes me laugh every time." She said as she laughed at the thought. "Basically, he got away with murder, but because he got all egotistical he basically turned himself in."

"I haven't gotten to that one yet." I said looking down at the book. "I'm reading about the Milwaukee Cannibal."

"Ah, Jeffrey." She nodded knowingly. "He's one of the most infamous, but compared to some of the other men in that book, and women, he was child's play."

"I didn't think you'd be interested in something like this."

"It's basic psychology, Comrade. We're interested in the macabre and gruesome." She explained. "It's why horror sells, things like bloody video games exist because of it, and, of course, violence. We're fascinated by it. I'm going to guess when you picked up that book, you were hesitant to open it and find what was inside, but you did anyway, and you were drawn in."

"I will admit, it is fascinating."

"I know, that's why I read it." She said before turning to Lissa who'd just finished packing Rose's suitcase. "I didn't know what all you would need, so I overpacked."

"That's perfectly fine!" Lissa said enthusiastically, much happier now she'd gotten to rifled through clothes. I had a feeling that Lissa was going to need this shopping trip now more than ever.

"Are you packed, Dimitri?" Rose asked me.

"Not yet, but now that you're back, I'm going there now. Are you going to be alright just you two?" I asked a little hesitant to leave them alone.

"We'll be fine, Comrade." Rose said with a knowing smirk. "We'll meet you at the car in a bit." I nodded and held up the book that was in my hands.

"Do you mind if I hang on to this for the trip?"

"Sure. You're welcome to any of them." She said gesturing to the small collection she had on her desk. I gave her a small smile before exiting the room. I tucked the book in the inside breast pocket on the inside of my duster. Alberta had been kind enough to let me Change and get dressed before joining the girls in Rose's room.

I exited the Novice dorms, wondering if I would be able to live with Rose until Graduation without being tempted. Alberta had instructed me to get permission before I wanted to do anything special, but if I lived with Rose I could do something special for her every day. Would I really need to get permission for something I wanted to do every day? What if I think of something in the moment and don't have time to ask Alberta about it?

I decided that I would only ask Alberta if it was something special that wouldn't be taking place on a regular basis or in the comfort of our living quarters. The suite in the Guardian dorms had four private rooms, so Rose, Lissa, and I would all have our own private bedrooms, and a shared common room/kitchenette/dining area. I don't know what we'd do with the forth bedroom. We didn't really need an in-home gym with the ones on campus, and the girls didn't have enough work to really warrant an office space. I guess I'd just have to ask them about it.

In the time my mind had been musing, I'd reached my room. I unlocked the door, and moved toward the bed. Bending down, I reached under it and pulled out my duffle bag. I didn't come here with a lot, just a bag full of clothes, and a couple boxes of books, photos, movies, and a coffee machine.

I knew if we were going to be shopping I'd need to be in casual clothes, so I threw my jeans and t-shirts into the bag, a few pairs of boxers and socks, and my shaving kit, zipped up my bag, grabbed my phone, wallet, and keys and pocketed them all. I left my room, locking the door behind me, and began my way downstairs and toward the SUVs that we would be taking down to Billings.

I'd completely forgotten that other students were going to be accompanying the girls on this shopping expedition until I saw both Castile and Ashford, approach the vehicles a few minutes after I'd run through all the primary safety checks.

"Guardian Belikov." Ashford greeted me, Castile nodding in acknowledgement but staying silent. "Which car will we be riding in?"

"I will be having Princess Dragomir, Lord Ozera, and Novice Hathaway join myself and another Guardian in the first car, and the two of you will be following with the other three Guardians. You'll be choosing the Guardian you'll be shadowing for the trip. Any one of the four accompanying us will be available, I myself will be guarding with Novice Hathaway, so I will not be able to have a shadow."

"Who all is coming on the trip with us, Guardian wise?" Castile asked.

"Guardians Pavlov, Skinner, Bandura, and Milgram will be joining us shortly." I responded. They both nodded and moved toward the second car, loading their bags in the trunk. Not two minutes later, the four Guardians joined us in the parking lot, Pavlov put his bag in the trunk of the first car, and the rest stowed their belongings in the second.

The hour of departure was approaching, and I could see Rose and Lissa walking leisurely with Christian, bags in hand. When they reached us, I took Rose and Lissa's bags and placed them in the trunk of the first car, before opening their door, ushering them inside. Rose sat in the middle seat of the middle row while Christian and Lissa climbed in the back.

Everyone else was quickly situated in their respective cars, and we were soon out the gates and outside the wards. We traveled for a minute or two before Rose leaned forward in between the two front seats, switched on the radio to a pop station and turned up the music.

"This weekend is going to be great."


	16. Chapter 16

**RPOV**

Despite my enthusiastic attitude at the beginning of this trip, two hours in, I was ready to be done with the transit part. A few minutes in, the music I had turned on and up had begun to bother Dimitri and his driving abilities. He turned off my music and opted for gentle country music, complete with banjos and fiddles. I wasn't even aware that Montana had country music stations, but leave it to Dimitri to find the only one.

"Can we please change the music?" I asked for probably the fifth time. Dimitri rolled his eyes, but considering I added a please, he changed the station. I sat up straighter, excited at the prospect of different music, but was soon disappointed when he settled on 80's rock. "I guess this is a step up."

Dimitri had the gall to actually laugh at my mutterings! Ivan chuckled at the two of us but stayed silent when it came to music preferences. Lissa and Christian had barely come up for air, their hands flying across each other's bodies, barely keeping it PG, as soon as we'd exited the Academy gates.

"Twenty more minutes, Roza," Dimitri informed me, sensing my agitation. I don't know if it was me or my wolf, but I hated sitting in one spot for so long especially in close quarters, and I hated having nothing to do. I'd thought I'd spend the ride chatting with Lissa, planning out our shopping adventures, but since she was occupied, I had nothing to do.

"Won't we be there really early for check in?" I asked.

"We called ahead and told them to expect us a few hours earlier than we'd originally planned. They told us that would be fine and they would have the room ready when we arrive in seventeen minutes." Dimitri responded glancing at the clock.

We'd just taken the exit to Billings. Dimitri navigated the foreign streets effortlessly, and before long we were parking in the lot of a hotel situated in a bustling part of downtown. There were a couple of casinos across the street, and there was a Starbucks attached to the hotel. This seemed like a good place for Strigoi to go about hunting. The late-night casinos would overlap the early morning coffee goers.

"How secure is this place?" I asked hesitantly, not allowing Christian or Lissa out of the car until I knew just what we were getting into.

"We checked the place out all week. We had surveillance running since the moment we knew you'd be coming here." Dimitri reassured me. "Between the five of us Guardians and the best senior Novices, we'll be more than enough to protect the Princess and Lord Ozera."

I nodded, satisfied with his answer, and climbed out of the car. I moved around the back to collect my bag, but Dimitri beat me to it.

"I can carry my own bag, Comrade," I said crossing my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes.

"I know." Was all he said as he turned to head into the hotel. I sighed in resignation and followed him, carrying nothing as everyone else in the party carried their own bags. Well, Christian gabbed one of Lissa's bags, but she carried the other.

The lobby of The Northern was very spacious. The whole space was full of warm earth tones. It was light but still professional. There were several individual sitting areas with numerous seating options.

The Guardians guided Lissa and Christian to one of them, and they plopped down onto a plush-looking sofa. I followed Dimitri to the front desk. The man there, his name tag said Jake, looked up, first taking me in, his eyes traveled down my body before making eye contact. I saw hope flash in his eyes before he saw Dimitri's towering presence beside me. The hope quickly disappeared, replaced by apprehension.

"Reservations under 'Belikov.'" Dimitri stated a bit harshly, not missing the attention the young man had just given me.

"You have seven rooms, is that correct, sir?" Jake asked still wary about Dimitri's presence. I stood beside him, close but not too close.

"Yes," Dimitri responded. Jake began typing away on his keyboard.

"Alright." He stated after a few moments of tense clicking. "I just need to see the card we have on file and your identification." Dimitri produced the required items from the inside pocket of his duster, handing them over silently. I nudged him with my elbow.

 _"You're scaring him, Comrade. Be nice."_ I told Dimitri. I saw him think about it, and after a pointed look from me, his face adopted a small smile making him look friendlier.

After Jake had given Dimitri back his credit card and identification, relaxing after seeing Dimitri's smile, he produced several key cards and slid them across the counter. Dimitri thanked him and took the cards before turning and making his way back over to the group.

Mason had decided on the ride here that he would be shadowing Guardian Milgram, and Eddie chose Guardian Bandura. Dimitri handed each of them a card that corresponded to the room they would be sharing. Guardian Pavlov and Guardian Skinner would each have a room to themselves. Lissa and I would be sharing a room, Dimitri in the room adjoining ours, while Christian got the last room to himself.

His room was directly across from ours, but I suspected since we had a bigger room, he'd be in ours more often than his. I was wondering how Lissa was going to sneak out of our room to sleep in his because he was sure as hell not sleeping in the same room as me.

After distributing the cards, we made our way to the elevators. Dimitri still hadn't relinquished my bag to me, so I was walking ahead of them once we reached our floor. I found our room and inserted the plastic key card into the slot. Pulling it out and hearing a soft beep, I turned the handle and pushed myself into the room.

The space I entered into first was a sitting room type space. There were three couches centered around a television, next to it was a small table surrounded by chairs. A wall and doorway were separating the space from the bedroom, which contained a large king-sized four-poster bed. The linens were a crisp white, but all the wood of the frame was dark.

From where I stood in the doorway of the bedroom, I could see a large bathtub in the bathroom. I finally got my suitcase from Dimitri as he walked to the door that would separate our rooms.

"This door stays open at all times," Dimitri said in a tone that left no room for argument. I didn't have a problem with it, but I knew Lissa would want to spend a lot of quality time with Christian and she'd rather not have her Guardian seeing that.

I placed my suitcase at the end of the bed on the side closest to the door. Lissa moved to the other side of the room and placed her bag in the chair that sat in the far corner. I opened my bag planning on unpacking.

"Uh, Liss. Why is there a swimsuit in here?" I asked confused. "We aren't going swimming. There isn't even a swimming pool in the hotel."

"I know that." She said with a devious grin.

"Liss, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." She said, starting to unpack her toiletries and moving them to the bathroom. "I may or may not have asked Dimitri's opinion on which swimsuit to pack, but I'm assuming that he didn't know there wasn't a pool here, or if he did, he didn't care." I groaned and fell back on the bed, my hands covering my face. "If it makes you feel any better, he was very diplomatic about it, even paired the pieces of each bikini to cover as much of you as possible."

"That's not what I was expecting," I mumbled, a little disappointed that Dimitri didn't want to see me in barely anything.

"I think that he was trying to control himself. The whole reason he was reading your book on serial killers was to cover up his obvious physical attraction." She responded wiggling her eyebrows.

"Liss!" I hissed scandalously. "You didn't! You prompted my boyfriend to picture me practically naked just to tease him?"

"Maybe." She replied giggling to herself. "When we go shopping he'll probably have a heart attack."

"I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to that." It wasn't that I didn't want to tease Dimitri, believe me, I did, but I also didn't want to push him. I know he only has so much self-control, and I'm not sure what will happen when it breaks.

"Oh, come on. It's not like he can do anything. First, you're still a minor. Second, you're his Alpha. Doesn't he have to have your permission or something?" Lissa said, brushing off my hesitation.

"Yes. I see your point." I sighed and removed myself from the plush bed. I didn't see the point of unpacking anymore if we were only going to be here a couple nights. I put my bag on top of the dresser and made my way out into the living space. Dimitri emerged from his room without his duster on. He was dressed in dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt. It wasn't anything special, but he was delectable.

I heard a low growl leave his chest.

"Roza." He breathed out. "If I have to stop the hormone-inducing thing, you do, too."

"Sorry, Comrade. I didn't mean to." I said blushing, still flustered by the sight of him. He smirked and made his way around the room, checking locks, windows, doors. I watched as he methodically checked the room from top to bottom. When he was through, he sat on one of the couches. I was still standing in the doorway to the bedroom, staring at him.

"Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to join me?" He asked, the smirk still plastered on his face. I moved myself over to the couch he was sitting on but hesitated. I was debating if I should sit on the same couch or a different one. I looked over at the adjacent couch when he grabbed my wrist, yanking me down next to him.

Well, more like on top of him. I'd lost my balance in the surprise of his tug and practically fell into his lap. He didn't seem to mind, in fact, he adjusted me to where I was straddling him. He gently placed his hands on my hips, getting comfortable underneath me.

"I'm looking forward to this weekend, Roza." He whispered in my ear, rubbing his nose up the side of my neck. My breath caught in my throat. I had to place a hand on his chest to stabilize myself. Being this close to Dimitri was intoxicating.

I felt my inner wolf recognize his and begin pawing at the cage I kept her in.

"Guardian Belikov, are we doing anything any time soon?" Lissa's voice came from the bedroom. I tried to get up, but Dimitri's hands tightened on my hips, keeping me in place.

"Not for a few hours, Lissa. I'd planned on us getting a little rest before starting shopping. We'll have lunch at the mall and be back before dinner." Dimitri answered her, pulling me closer to him.

"Cool. Do you mind if I go across the hall to Christian's room?" She appeared at the doorway and took in how we were seated. I again tried to move, but he wasn't letting me up any time soon.

"Not at all. I'll let Guardian Pavlov know so he can keep an eye out in the hallways." Lissa moved toward the door, eager to spend time with Christian, and Dimitri pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Guardian Pavlov.

Once the door to the room closed, Dimitri started kissing my neck. The sensation of his soft lips against the column of my neck made my eyes roll back in their sockets and my head fell back, giving him better access. My movement caused my breasts to push against his chest which caused him to release a growl.

"You're making it really hard for me to keep my promise to Alberta." Dimitri breathed between kisses. "Your scent drives me wild."

"I'll have you know that you did this to yourself, Comrade. I was going to sit on the other couch to remove any temptation, but you pulled me into your lap." I said pulling back to look him in the eyes. He looked disappointed that I moved my skin away from his lips.

"It's not my fault that you make me lose control." He said pulling me back to him. Our lips met in a passionate kiss.

"Do you feel like taking a nap?" I asked after several minutes of our tongues battling each other.

"Not really, but I know if we don't I'll end up breaking my promise to Alberta and myself." He picked me up and set me back on my own feet before grabbing my hand and leading me into his room.

He plopped himself down on the bed first, pulling me after him. I curled up into his side, my head on his chest. He placed a light kiss in my hair.

"Are you looking forward to shopping?" I asked, and he groaned.

"I'm not a fan of shopping but I'm looking forward to seeing all that you try on." He said. "Just try not to tease me too much, please."

"I'm not making any promises," I smirked up at him, knowing that was exactly what Lissa and I had planned.


	17. Chapter 17

**DPOV**

I tried to take a nap, knowing that I would most-likely need as much sleep as possible to keep up with Rose and Lissa all day. I'd been awake for more than twenty-four hours and, for a Lycanthrope, that was a huge problem. I'd grown accustomed to not getting much sleep, which was also bad for a Lycanthrope, but I'd always managed to squeeze in a couple hours here and there to keep myself going.

Only, I couldn't this time. I was plenty tired, trust me, but I couldn't bear to think about letting a moment go by that I wasn't awake when Roza was in my arms. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately. She'd been awake longer than I had, and had probably used more energy than I had, but I knew she didn't need nearly as much sleep as me or any other Lycanthrope.

She's a True Hybrid. I suppose there was a lot more to her than meets the eye. I needed to find out what all she had been hiding from me by leaving out that small detail of her life. I knew she needed to feed from Strigoi or Pricolici. Pricolici provided her with more strength, but they were harder to come by. I suppose that's where she got her Molnija from. She's earned another six, too, plus a Grom.

I was staring down at her sleeping form for the past twenty minutes. Her eyes darted back and forth beneath her eyelids, her lips had parted in a gasp. I felt myself become aroused by the waves she was producing. I fought to hold in the growl that bubbled in my chest, but as she released a moan in her sleep, I had to release my growl.

I didn't know if she was still asleep or not, but her face adopted a wide smirk, and she moved even closer to me. I fought to control my urges. I wanted her. I needed her. My wolf was still upset about me submitting to her, but he was soon realizing that he still had control over my body more than my mind did, and he was letting me know it.

Rose rolled over in her sleep, taking her warm body away from mine. I felt the loss immediately and followed her to regain the sensation of her body pressed against mine. I gently pulled her back against my body, her back to my front. Her bent form molded perfectly into mine. I tilted my head down to bury my nose in her hair. Vanilla and lavender invaded my senses, soothing me.

Her steady breathing and her intoxicating scent lulled me into a peaceful rest. I wasn't asleep, but I wasn't fully awake. I closed my eyes and focused on the space around me. Rose had been teaching me how to see without my eyes, and I desperately wanted to master it before we went shopping.

I know it was really perverted of me, but I longed to be able to see Rose's body without any obstructions. When we get back to St. Vlad's, I was going to suggest that we start working on Changing in the middle of a fight. I knew in a desperate situation, I could Change in mid-stride, but I wasn't sure if I could in mid-battle. I wasn't sure about Rose's ability to Change at the drop of a hat, though I'm sure she'd be fine.

I focused on the form of the beauty lying beside me. I could see her in my mind, but it didn't come through as a picture like it would with my sight. The image that was before me, I could manipulate. I could look at her from a different angle. I could see what we both looked like as we cuddled in the middle of the bed. Her face wore a peaceful smile whereas mine bore one of focus and concentration. However, I watched as my face morphed into shock and happiness.

I was then aware that my face had made the change. I could see. I tried focusing on the rest of the room, pleasantly surprised to find myself being able to observe every object closely and in great detail.

I opened my eyes when I felt Rose shift beside me.

"I knew you could do it, Comrade." She murmured, looking up at me with pride in her eyes.

"How'd you know?"

"I can kind of see into your mind a little…" She responded sheepishly. This was not good. If she could see into my mind, she would know everything that I was thinking. How often I pictured her pinned beneath me, allowing me to bring her pleasure. She'd know when I was staring at her amazing ass, not that she didn't already know that, but now she'd know how often I do it.

Would she be able to see my dreams? Would she be repulsed by how erotic they were? Great, now all I can think about is her naked in my bed, her head thrown back in pleasure.

"And you're making sure that I will check in often." She said, any sign of her early shyness had disappeared and was replaced by a mischievous smirk. My inner wolf lurched at its locked cage, and I pulled her body flush against mine.

"You're going to be the death of me, woman," I growled into her ear before nibbling at it gently. I felt her shudder as my teeth grazed her skin. Her breath had hitched, and her pulse had jumped.

I knew if I didn't stop now that I wouldn't be able to stop until I claimed her. I've never felt this possessive of anyone before, Lycanthrope, human, Moroi, or Dhampir. I screamed at my body to listen to my mind, but my wolf wanted her, and it was determined to have her. I rolled her onto her back and propped myself on my elbows, my body pressing her into the mattress.

I placed soft kisses on the column of her neck, stopping where her pulse was the strongest, letting my tongue curl out and taste her skin. I heard and felt her inner wolf moan at the sensation. My cock was pressed firmly against one of her thighs, enjoying the pressure it provided, but seeking something more.

One of my hands had found its way under the hem of her shirt and was gently caressing the smooth skin it found there. She started to squirm as my lips worked against her neck, traveling downward across her collarbone. My inner wolf begged for me to keep the upper hand, to stay on top, but she was my Alpha, and I had to listen to her inner wolf.

Her hands grabbed the bottom of my shirt and tugged it over my head. Tossing the shirt to the side, her hands slid over my bare back and then back up to my shoulders. Somehow, her lips had found mine again, our tongues battling for dominance, luckily, she let me win this battle.

Before I knew it, I was on my back staring up at my Roza. I didn't even register her pushing me back. Her hair hung in thick curtains around our faces, shielding us from the outside world. Her breath tickled my face as she leaned down with a devious glint in her eyes.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Comrade." She whispered. A growl was my only response. I blinked, and she was gone. I looked around stunned. She was standing beside the bed, smirk still in place, straightening her clothes. "Come on, let's eat breakfast. I'm starving!"

She turned and walked out of the room, hips swaying and hair flowing behind her. I sat there, stunned, staring after her.

"Come on, Comrade!" Her voice called out to me, breaking me out of the trance I was in. She was faster than she was earlier this week, I suppose that's due to the excess amount of blood she consumed, but the speed and power with which she moved was alarming.

I located my discarded shirt and pulled it back on before scurrying after my Alpha. She was waiting patiently by the door. Her smirk was still in place, I'm pretty sure it was a permanent fixture, and it caused another frustrated growl to emanate from my chest. She actually laughed at me.

"Easy there, Dimitri. Remember, this is what you wanted. I can't have you breaking promises, now can I?"

"If I'd known it would be this _hard_ to resist you, I wouldn't have made the promise to begin with," I said, practically stalking toward her. She didn't look scared in the slightest. Any other Lycanthrope, or any creature, would have been terrified due to my size and overall demeanor, but Rose wasn't just any other Lycanthrope. Her smile grew wider at my confessions and I knew then that I was going to be torturing myself in order to keep that stupid promise.

"Don't worry, Comrade. You've got a few more months of knowing just how _hard_ it will be." I groaned remembering I'd have to keep this promise until she turned eighteen. My eyes widened.

"Mating season is going to be during that time." I didn't think her smile could grow larger, but I was wrong.

"Yes. Yes, it is."

"You won't be able to control yourself either. Not during mating season." I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I knew her self-control was significantly better than mine, but that didn't mean she wouldn't feel the effects of mating season just as much as I would. She'd probably feel it more, considering she was female.

I knew from years of experience fighting off she-wolves in heat, that it could be downright painful if the wolf didn't find a mate. Rose was at an age where she'd experience heat, but not to the extent she would in a few years.

"Trust me, I know what it feels like; however, I don't know if I'm looking forward to it with you around. I've never been around a male Lycanthrope that I actually like when in heat, but I'm sure I'll manage."

"I'm not worried about how you'll manage. I know you'll manage just fine. I'm worried about how _I'll_ manage." I said.

"Just think of it as another lesson in self-control." She said with a shrug.

"I barely got through your 'lessons' of self-control when we weren't dating and in the middle of mating season. How do you expect me to survive them when the time comes?"

"We'll just have to build up your self-control. Which means more lessons." She said, her smirk firmly on her face. I narrowed my eyes at her, but she just laughed and opened the door. "Food, Comrade. I'm hungry."

"I've got something I could feed you," I grumbled quietly, hoping that she didn't hear it. Her soft growl alerted me to the fact that she had heard me, but, thankfully, she chose not to acknowledge my comment. The call of food was a more pressing matter.

"Liss! Sparky!" Rose yelled, pounding on the door across the hallway. "Breakfast, come on!"

"Hold on, Rose!" I heard Lissa call from behind the door.

"The sooner we eat, the sooner we can go shopping." Rose provided an incentive. I knew Moroi didn't really eat much, so the idea of food was not a powerful motivator as it would be for a Lycanthrope or a Dhampir, but shopping was Lissa's powerful motivator.

The door flew open, revealing an excited Lissa and a less-than-thrilled Christian.

"Alright, let's go!" Lissa squealed.

"Breakfast first," Rose said sternly. I was coming to learn that you don't get in between Rosemarie Hathaway and her food.

I quickly knocked on the doors of the other members of our shopping party. Eddie and Mason were taking their shadowing roles very seriously, even refraining from interacting with Lissa and Christian too often. Rose took a more familiar approach to how she Guarded. She was still just as watchful, if not more, than the rest of the Guardians present, but she was still able to interact and have fun with her charges.

Guardians Skinner, Bandura, and Milgram sat at a table with Eddie and Mason. Rose took a seat across from Lissa, and I placed myself in the one beside her, throwing my arm over the back of her chair. Christian sat next to Lissa across from me, and Pavlov sat at the head of the table in between Rose and Lissa.

As suspected, Lissa and Christian both had a banana and an apple to keep them going, feeders would be brought to the hotel at dinner, and Rose had piled her plates high with food. And, yes, I said plates.

I watched as the hotel staff stared wide-eyed at the young woman who was currently on her fourth mountain of food. I chuckled as she continued to eat, completely unaware of the audience she was gaining. While even I found the amount of food she consumed alarming, I knew that she burned off most of her energy rather quickly, like most Lycanthropes. I found her gigantic appetite enduring. She was adorable when she ate.

God, what was wrong with me? This woman was messing with my head.

"Hurry up, Rose!" Lissa finally exclaimed. "I want to go shopping!"

"Alright, alright," Rose said, shoving the last piece of bacon in her mouth. She wiped her hands on a napkin and stood from the table, the rest of us following after her. "Where to first?"

"The Rimrock Mall. There are a few places there that I want to check out before picking and choosing individual stores that aren't a part of a shopping complex."

Lissa could barely contain her excitement as she bounced toward the cars. Rose was skipping alongside her causing her ass to bounce in a mesmerizing way. She looked over her shoulder at me and winked.

"You ready for a full day of shopping, Comrade?" She asked cheekily once we'd settled into the separate vehicles.

Ugh! Shopping…


	18. Chapter 18

**RPOV**

I kept Lissa and Christian in the car until Dimitri and Ivan finished their initial sweep of the area. It was daylight so we didn't have to worry too much about Strigoi, but it was overcast and just the right amount of cloud cover that would allow them to stalk unsuspecting victims in the shadows. It was unlikely that they'd get anywhere close to Lissa or Christian, mainly due to the hunk of a Russian opening the door for us, though I'd most likely be the one to tip him off.

He'd tied his hair back into a low ponytail before leaving the hotel, and his duster shaped his tall, muscular form to perfection. He was dressed casually instead of in his Guardian uniform, but he still looked appetizing. A picture of him lying underneath me, shirtless, flashed in my mind causing me to moan.

"Roza." He growled low in my ear. "You've got to stop. I need to focus on my job, and I can't do that if my cock is begging to be buried inside you."

"It's not my fault you exude pure, unadulterated sexiness just by existing!" I defended my raging hormones, trying to not let his description fuel them anymore.

"I suppose you're right, but, please, try and keep a lid on it while we're in public."

"I'm not making any promises, Comrade. I don't know about Lissa, but I intend to try on a lot of clothes today, and I will be needing opinions." I turned my attention to Lissa who was looking around, trying to decide on a course of action. "Where to first, Liss?"

"Let's start with Herberger's and find dresses. Once we find a dress we'll know what kind of bra and panties you'll need, and then we can do the everyday shopping." I nodded, approving the game plan and motioned for her to lead the way.

By some unspoken agreement, Dimitri and I walked behind Lissa and Christian, acting like the couple we were. Dimitri had draped an arm lazily over my shoulders, a small smile adorning his lips. We stayed close to the Moroi couple but maintained a distance that would make it appear like a double date.

Lissa squealed when we neared the store which made Dimitri tense believing it to be an attack, but I knew better. I laughed as he glared at me and patted his chest before walking into the huge store. To say there was a large selection of both dresses and everyday wear would be a vast understatement.

"Liss, I don't even know where to begin in a place like this," I muttered to her. She waved her hand in my direction and took off toward some dresses. She moved with purpose which led me to believe that she knew what she was doing.

"Do you know what you're looking for?" She asked me, sifting through the hangers.

"You know what will look best on me. All I ask is that it's in a dark color, I can't stand light colors. Plus, dark colors tend to look more elegant." She nodded and continued her search. "Do you have a dress in mind?"

"I was thinking something silver, but I don't know the style or anything. I suppose I'll know it when I see it."

"What about this, Rosie?" Christian asked, pulling out a dress that looked like toile had thrown up on it. Not only did it look itchy, it seemed like it would make me look like a snowball.

"I think that color would look really good on you, Sparky. The light shimmer of the white would really bring out your eyes and make your hair look fabulous!" I said over enthusiastically. A scowl took over his face, and I saw Lissa was having a hard time holding back her laughter. "You'd just need a pair of killer heels that matched your eyes and you'd look like the Winter Fairy we all know you are."

"Very funny, Hathaway." He growled, but placed the dress back on the rack and walked away, his Guards following him. Needless to say, he didn't try to "help" me find a dress after that.

"Liss! I think I found your dress!" I called out after a few silent moments of hangers scraping across metal racks.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Lissa squealed, jumping up and down and clapping her hands in excitement. I pulled the dress off the rack and held it up for her inspection.

From a distance, the dress looked like a 20's flapper dress. The beading design was very geometric but still soft. It was a sleeveless sheath dress with a boatneck cut as the neckline. It was silver, like she wanted, with gold beading. On Lissa, the dress would end a little above her mid-thigh.

"Oh! I love it!" Lissa squealed louder. I felt all the Guardians in the store tense and quickly look around, scanning for the source of a threat. Dimitri rolled his eyes after determining that Lissa was just a squealer. I held back my laughter. Sometimes it's hard to remember that the other Guardians didn't know what Lissa was like on a normal basis so they didn't know the difference between her excited squeal and her frightened squeal.

"I thought you might. Do you want to try it on?"

"Yes, but I want to find your dress first." She said determinedly.

"Liss, we've been in here for almost an hour, and there's nothing here that even remotely resembles my dress," I said, pushing her dress to her, but she stubbornly continued to flip through the seemingly endless amount of dresses.

 _"You see anything you'd like to see me in, Comrade?"_ I thought to Dimitri with just the right about of sultriness. His eyes found mine from a few racks over before they hungrily scanned my body. My inner wolf lurched at his attention which caused him to smirk. He didn't respond to me, but I did notice that he took a little longer appraising each dress he came across.

"What about this one?" Lissa asked, tearing my attention away from my hot boyfriend. She held up a long dress. It was pretty and totally something I'd wear but it was too long for the Equinox Dance.

"That's too long, Liss. I like the color and the neckline, but I want to be able to show both my legs, not just one." I said gesturing to the long slit running up the side of the dress.

 _"What about this one, Roza?"_ I heard Dimitri call. I turned to look at him, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at a dress. He'd held it up a little to get a really good look at it, and though I couldn't see all of it, from what I could see, I loved it.

"Oh, Dimitri! That's it! That's Rose's dress!" Lissa squealed before pushing me in his direction. "Go. Go try it on."

"Alright, Liss. Calm down. You still have to try yours on, too." She nodded eagerly and made her way over to the fitting rooms. I approached Dimitri, who was still holding up my dress, just looking at it. I stopped right in front of him and waited for him to conclude his appraisal.

He eventually held the dress up to my form and studied it some more. The more his eyes roamed over my form the more his lust grew. His eyes finally met mine, and I gasped at the intensity.

"Would you mind trying this on for me?" He asked in a deep, breathless voice. Unable to respond verbally, I nodded and took the dress from him and followed Lissa to the fitting rooms.

After slipping the dress on the first time, I decided that I couldn't wear a bra with the dress, so I took mine off. The dress was a deep maroon fit and flare. The lining was a soft silk blend but had an intricate lace overlay. It was a halter top with a scalloped keyhole that cut into my cleavage to an almost dangerous level, hence going braless. It was sleeveless and showed my clavicles to their full advantage and stopped at mid-thigh, well, the lace overlay stopped at mid-thigh, the lining stopped an inch below my ass, which looked great!

"Rose! Stop admiring yourself and come out and show me! I want to see!" Lissa called in her most Princess-like voice. I chuckled before stepping out of my changing room. I twirled and heard Lissa squealing and clapping like an idiot. When I stopped my spinning, I saw Dimitri standing behind her, jaw hanging open, and eyes hungrily roaming my body.

"Who knew you had such great taste, Comrade," I said cheekily. He seemed to be in a trance and even my words couldn't bring him out of it. Lissa giggled and snapped her fingers in front of his face. After the third snap, he seemed to gain some mental functioning back.

"You look breathtaking, Roza." He breathed.

"Why, thank you," I said with a mock curtsy. "I think I'll get it, and, Liss, that dress looks great on you."

"Why, thank you." She said mimicking me and my mock curtsy. "I also think I'm going to get this dress."

We both nodded at each other and spun on our heels to retreat back into our respective fitting rooms. Before closing the door, I looked back to Dimitri who had regressed back to his trance-like state, just staring at me. I laughed wickedly as I closed the door.

 _"That's not very nice, Roza,"_ Dimitri growled in my head.

 _"Maybe you should have thought of that before you found this dress."_ I laughed again after I'd changed and found Dimitri still stuck in his spot, looking longingly at my door. A blush crept across his face, but he didn't say anything.

We paid for our dresses with minimum fuss and moved on to the next shop. Now that we'd found our dresses, Liss was on a mission to find the perfect shoes. I thought that she'd been sidetracked as she pulled us into H&M, but she pulled me directly over to the shoe section before she gave herself a chance to get distracted. I spotted my shoes almost instantly.

They were like ankle booties, except they had a five-inch heel. They were matte black. I found my size and slipped my feet into them.

"Rose! Those make your ass look great!" Lissa exclaimed, turning from her browsing. I didn't need to look at Dimitri to know that he agreed. His inner wolf was calling out to me, and it was very distracting. I tried my best to stamp down my urges, but I don't think he was trying that hard.

"Dimitri! You've got to stop." I said to him after taking off the shoes. Lissa was out of earshot, searching for a shoe her size.

"I can't help it." His face contorted almost painfully as he tried to control himself. I felt his inner battle and looked at him sympathetically.

"I know, but you have to try. I'm sorry that this is so hard for you, but you know it's not easy for me either." He nodded in understanding and placed a light kiss on my forehead.

"Hopefully it will get easier."

"Umm…about that…I don't think it will, at least not today."

"What do you mean?" He asked looking slightly panicked.

"Lissa has been saving our trip to Victoria's Secret till after lunch…" I stated a little sheepishly. I watched as the blood drained from his face, and his eyes widened in horror.

"I'm going to die." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be so overdramatic, Comrade. You just won't be in the viewing area."

"I can't leave Lissa. I had specific instructions from Alberta that I'm to accompany her everywhere, including the dressing rooms."

"Oh…well, in that case, you're screwed," I said with a nonchalant shrug and left to join Lissa where she was studying her reflection as she stood in a pair of jade green kitten heels. "That color looks great on you, Liss. Really brings out your eyes, and I think they'll stand out even more with your silver dress. You'll look very Dragomir." I was startled when tears came to her eyes.

"You don't know how much that means to me, Rose." She sniffled and enveloped me in her arms. I hugged her back fiercely.

"You know they'd be so proud of the young woman you've become," I whispered in her ear. I felt her nod and release a little sob. "Come on, we've got more shopping to do."

"Thank you, Rose." She said with one last squeeze. We both took our shoes and started perusing the rest of the store. Lissa's selections looked very much like the teenager she was, but mine were more conservative than I'd once been. Don't get me wrong, I still loved dressing a little risqué, but it's nothing compared to what I once would have worn.

"Gosh, Rose. You're getting all boring on me." Lissa said as we were checking out, and she got a good look at all of my selections.

"I am not," I said rolling my eyes. "I'm just maturing at that includes my wardrobe, but don't worry, I'm still going to look sexy and hot as your Guardian."

"I don't think there's a way for you to not look sexy and hot." She giggled with a wink.

"Damn right," I said as I grabbed my bags. "Where to next?"

"Build-A-Bear," Lissa stated.

"Really?"

"Yes. Christian and I wanted to build a bear together." I scrunched my nose up, and my lips curled in disgust.

"Alright, that's cute, but in a disgusting sort of way."

"Kind of like you." Christian piped in with a smirk.

I was about to respond when Lissa rolled her eyes and pulled me further down the sidewalk.

"Be nice." She said, but I don't know who she was talking to so I shrugged and let myself be pulled into the bright yellow store.

* * *

 _Hey guys,_

 _There has been some confusion, and it's all my fault. I knew when I was making the character of Ivan Pavlov that there might be times where he would be confused for Ivan Zeklos. I regret to inform you, but Ivan Zeklos is dead, and the Ivan mentioned in this story is Ivan Pavlov. I'll keep this confusion in mind when writing other stories, but I'm too far into this one to change it now, I'm truly sorry._

 _~Victoria_


	19. Chapter 19

**DPOV**

She's going to be the death of me.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to die.

She's going to kill me.

I've accepted the fact, and I'm going to die a happy man.

I know that I'm supposed to be keeping my eyes trained on Princess Dragomir and her surroundings, but I can't keep my eyes off Rose. Every time I look at her, all I see is that dress. I knew I should never have picked the dress up, never should have shown it to her.

I really was trying to keep a handle on my inner wolf, but he was ravenous after seeing her in that dress, and the way her ass looked in those heels made him fight harder.

So, yes. I'm a dead man walking.

I was dreading lunch. Well, not lunch exactly, but having lunch would mean we were a step closer to seeing her in next to nothing. I had every intention of keeping my promise to Alberta. I didn't want to start a physical relationship with Rose until she was eighteen. Even with Alberta's approval of our relationship, I knew there was no way I would feel comfortable with putting Rose in that situation while she was still a minor, no matter how badly either of us wanted it.

However, my intentions of keeping the promise were quickly changing. It was like she was purposefully teasing me to make my life, and dick, harder.

 _"You finally figured me out."_ Her beautiful voice sounded in my head. Never before had I heard of a wolf that could communicate with their pack outside of wolf form, but somehow Rose was capable of it.

 _"You conniving little minx,"_ I growled back. She laughed beside me as we walked down the strip to the next stop. Apparently Lissa and Christian were wanting to build a bear together, whatever that meant. We entered a store that was bright yellow and seemed more suited for young children, not young adults. There were a few people milling about, but not many. Children were with their parents pointing at things enthusiastically.

"Liss, do you mind if I look at outfits for your bear while you work on creating him?"

"Not at all, nothing too inappropriate. I'm going for a princess theme." Lissa said after a confirmation nod from Christian.

"A princess for the Princess," Christian said lovingly as he placed a kiss on Lissa's temple. I held back a laugh as Rose rolled her eyes and left without another word. She moved over to a wall full of little clothes to dress the created teddy bears in.

I stuck close to Lissa and Christian, though my eyes never strayed far from Rose's form. After a few seconds of glancing at the clothing selection, she grabbed hold of something and turned around to show me with a huge smile and a big thumbs up.

In her hands were a cowboy outfit, complete with a duster, and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her. Her face morphed into a disappointed smirk before she placed the articles back and kept searching for the perfect princess outfit. However, her first choice of outfit did give me an idea.

"Princess, do you mind if I build a bear alongside you?" I asked quietly, keeping Rose in my line of sight just to make sure she wasn't paying attention.

"Are you building a bear for Rose?" She asked in a quiet squeal. One thing I'd learned today was that she was a squealer, and Rose seemed to know the difference between her squeals. Growing up in a household of women, you would think that I could distinguish between the different kinds of squeals, but they all sounded the same to me.

"I would like to. Would you mind helping me on some of the finer details?" I asked timidly

"It would be my honor, Dimitri." She responded kindly. Christian seemed to be assessing me, like how a brother might assess his sister's boyfriend. I tried not to think about it too much. I knew Rose and I were crazy about each other, and I knew Rose wouldn't let Christian's opinion of me to sway her choice, but I still wanted her friends to like me.

I'd already caught Eddie and Mason giving me stern looks after Rose and I began acting like the couple we are. We were acting like a couple to use as a cover for Guarding Lissa and Christian, but it was also because we _are_ a couple. I swear it's like Rose has three older brothers instead of being an only child.

"What color would you like the bear to be?" She asked, already picking out a honey brown colored bear for herself.

"A darker brown, around the same shade as my hair," I said, messing with the ends of my ponytail to get my point across. She picked up a bear and showed it to me. "Yes. Like that."

Christian kept up with their bear while Lissa kept up with mine. I'd answered every question when it came to creating the bear, but I kept my eyes on Rose. She'd finished picking out the clothing for Lissa and Christian's bear and was now waiting patiently near the end of the assembly line. It appears that she trusted me with Lissa because her focus was not on Lissa and her surrounding, but instead on the store and the people passing by outside.

I felt a little stupid when I was asked to hold the bear's heart and pour all my love into it, but looking at my Roza, I knew I had enough love to put into this bear. I know I hadn't told her yet, but I did love her. I hadn't known her a week, but I couldn't imagine my life without her. When I picture my future, Rose is always right beside me, where she belongs.

"Do you want to have a recorded message in the bear?" Lissa asked. "They have some prerecorded, but you can also record your own."

"Can I record my own?"

"Of course!" Our attendant responded cheerfully. "You'll need to speak into this loudly and clearly. Do you know what you're going to say?"

"Yes, but it's not going to be anything special. Just 'Hello, Roza.'" She smiled at me and went back to fiddling with the machine.

"Alright. Whenever you're ready." She handed me the microphone. I kept my eyes on Roza, just to make sure she didn't see me.

"Hello, Roza. I love you." My eyes widened after I realized that I'd added an extra message to my recording. Lissa was staring at me, mouth hanging open, and Christian had narrowed his eyes at me once again. The attendant smiled at me with a knowing glint in her eyes but didn't say anything as she processed my recording.

"You love her?" Lissa's question was a whisper, but I heard her excitement and joy while awaiting my answer.

"I do. More than I thought I could ever love another person." I said, feeling a love-struck grin spread across my face. "I've barely known her a week, but I feel as if I've known her my whole life." Lissa let out another squeal, and I quickly hid my grin as Rose's attention moved over to us. She gave us a questioning look that only grew more questioning as Lissa gave a small wave of reassurance.

"As long as you treat her right we won't have a problem, Belikov." The seriousness of Lissa's voice made my eyes move from Rose to her jade green ones. I was actually scared of this Royal Moroi. I knew that anyone with the right motivation could accomplish anything, and if I hurt Rose, Lissa would have more than enough motivation to punish me as she saw fit. I gulped as her eyes narrowed a little, and she smirked in satisfaction.

"I have no intention of treating her as anything less than the goddess she is," I answered. She nodded her head sharply and turned back to creating her bear. Mine was done and was being stitched up. All I had to do was pick out the outfit for it and buy it Rose could see.

"What's your bear's name?" Our attendant asked, looking at me for an answer. I hadn't even thought about giving it a name. I was going to leave the name up to Rose, but the "adoption papers" were sitting in front of me waiting for a name.

"Umm…Comrade." I answered finally, smiling at Rose's stupid nickname for me.

"Alright. Do you have an outfit in mind?"

"I do, but I can't get it now. This bear is a surprise for someone, and I can't let her see it just yet." She nodded in understanding, her eyes glancing over at Rose with just a hint of jealousy.

"Would you like me to get it for you?" She asked kindly.

"If you wouldn't mind. It's the little cowboy outfit with the duster and hat." I said, and a smile crossed her face before she nodded and left to get the ensemble. Lissa and Christian were finishing with their bear, Elsa. I suppose her choice of princess was fitting considering Lissa's resemblance to her, but also Elsa's ice power was a polar opposite of Christian's fire, and Lissa was Christian's opposite in almost every sense. It was fitting for the two of them.

"Do you mind adding Comrade into Elsa's box just so his lady doesn't get suspicious?" The attendant asked after our bears were dressed and ready to go.

"I think that's a great idea," Lissa answered with a pleasant smile.

"Thank you, Lissa," I said, giving the princess a soft smile.

"I'd do anything to make Rose happy, and I know that this will make her happy, as will you." My smile grew at her words. As we exited the store, Rose joined us, taking my hand in hers. She was skipping down the sidewalk, causing our linked hands to bounce and swing widely. I laughed at her carefree actions.

"Are you ready for lunch, Comrade?" She asked as we neared our destination. Rose and Lissa had won the argument on eating Chinese food. Well, technically it was seven to three against, but Rose definitely knew how to manipulate the male species. Christian had already agreed with Lissa and Rose because he knew it would be easier that way, but the rest of us were hoping for barbeque.

Rose batted her eyelashes suggestively at me, and I caved. A similar action was all it took for Mason and Guardian Pavlov. A stern look with her hands placed on her hips won over Guardians Skinner, Bandura, and Milgram, but Eddie wasn't fazed. However, with a roll of his eyes, he agreed with Rose, though I'm sure he was close to caving anyway. Rose was hard to resist, and when it came to food there was no getting in her way.

"I could eat," I said smiling over at her, my eyes following her bouncing path up and down. Rose let go of my hand and rushed up to talk to Lissa about something, and Christian fell back into step with me.

"I'll never admit this to her, but I love her. She's the sister I never had, and I know deep down in her conniving heart she loves me, too." He said, keeping his eyes on his girlfriend and her best friend. "I've never seen her this happy, Belikov. It would be a shame for that to end because you did something stupid." His voice turned very serious at the end.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid. I wouldn't risk losing her like that." I said firmly.

"You might not think that, but there will come a time when you do something stupid, you'll be on your knees begging for weeks, but I expect you to keep her happy." He said looking over at me. His eyes held the fire I know he wields. "I know Lissa wouldn't get violent in her revenge, that's not who she is, but I've no problems with getting my hands dirty."

With that, he moved forward and wrapped an arm around Lissa's waist, joining the girls' conversation easily.

That was the third promise of violence in less than a week. Rose was loved by most, so I knew I had some more to endure before I could really let my guard down. I knew I should probably expect Mason and Eddie to approach me sometime this weekend, and I'm sure that Pavlov was going to corner me soon, I'd be surprised if he didn't do it before the end of the day.

I watched Rose as she skipped in time with Lissa. She looked back over her shoulder, her hair flowing behind her making her look even more stunning. She had a smile living easily on her face, and I knew at that moment I would do anything to keep that smile there.

My heart started to flutter as I became fully aware of my emotions.

I was in love with my Alpha.

I love Rosemarie Hathaway.

So, yeah, she is going to be the death of me, and I'm okay with that.


	20. Chapter 20

**RPOV**

"Liss, do we have to do this to him?" I quietly asked my best friend as she inspected my reflection in the mirror.

"Of course we do. It's your job as the girlfriend to tease him relentlessly." She said before she handed me a different bra. Only Dimitri and Guardian Pavlov had come into the store with us. Mason and Guardian Milgram were standing, well sitting, guard outside, while Christian, Eddie, Guardian Bandura and Guardian Skinner were shopping with Christian.

Pavlov was milling around looking at different bra and panty sets under the pretense that he was looking for his wife. Dimitri was waiting in the viewing area to give his opinion to his girlfriend and guarding Lissa.

"The man can only take so much," I mumbled but exchanged my bra for the one Lissa had handed me. I studied my reflection, deciding that I liked what I saw. It wasn't anything too risqué because I was training as a Guardian, but that didn't mean I couldn't have something that looked good and had a useful function.

I was in a black sports bra that had a keyhole that showed a large portion of my cleavage. The hip-huggers that covered my ass, but just barely, were black with a light pink and white floral pattern.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked yet again. Lissa rolled her eyes and shooed me out of the room. I sighed before stepping out of the room with a smirk on my face. If I was going to torture my boyfriend, I was going to play the part.

I ran my hand up the door frame, bending one knee and crossing it in front of the other. I placed my other hand on my hip that was cocked out, accentuating my curves further. The moment I stuck my leg out of the door, Dimitri's inner wolf started acting up again. I watched in amusement as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. I held back a laugh as he not-so-discreetly adjusted himself.

"Whatcha think?" I asked twirling on my toes, making my ass more defined and my leg muscles tense, looking more toned. He'd given up on any pretense of discretion and was now blatantly adjusting his erection in his jeans. His eyes roamed my body, devouring the sight before him. His pupils had dilated, and I knew if he hadn't made a promise to Alberta, he'd probably have me up against a wall by now.

However, he remained seated, trying to control his obvious erection.

"Comrade?" I asked a little concerned but kept the smirk on my face.

"Please don't ask me to speak." His strained voice finally said. "There isn't enough blood in my brain." I laughed and twirled my way back to the changing room, swinging my hips as I went. His inner wolf gave another lurch.

"Down, boy," I said throwing a wink at him over my shoulder as I closed the door. "I think that was a success."

"Just a success?" Lissa giggled. "Did you see his face? I don't think he's going to be comfortable for the rest of the day."

"Now I kind of feel bad…" I mumbled. I craved the look that Dimitri just gave me, but we'd just started dating and I'm pretty sure I was causing him a lot more stress than any other girlfriend he might have had. "I'm not going back out there until I'm dressed properly."

"Fine, you accomplished what I was aiming for, anyway," Lissa said as she sorted the room into piles of what I was keeping and what I wasn't. "Three new sets should be enough, right?"

"I think so. We're going to need to do these trips more often to make sure we don't have a repeat of yesterday." Lissa nodded and handed me 'my' selections.

"I've got no problems with more shopping." We both laughed as we left the dressing room. Dimitri was still seated and still looking uncomfortable. His erection had gone down slightly but as his eyes met mine, it grew.

"We're going to have a problem, Comrade," I said flicking my eyes down to his bulge.

"You did this to me." He said, narrowing his eyes at me before he sat back with a smirk on his face. "You should be the one to fix it."

"Really?" I asked with a similar smirk. I handed my things to Lissa and knelt down in front of him. His eyes widened and I saw the bulge twitch. I placed my hands on his knees and slowly worked my way up his thighs. "You want me to take care of your problem?" I asked in my sexiest voice.

All he managed was a nod before quickly replacing the movement with a shake of his head. He grabbed my wrists, stopping their progress, and he closed his eyes trying to gain control of his body.

"Roza, that wasn't fair." He ground out, his jaw had tightened when I started swirling my fingers on his thighs.

"What? You told me I should be the one to fix it." I said innocently. "How else was I going to do that?"

He didn't answer me. I felt as the tension left his body, and he gained control of his inner wolf.

"How much longer do I have to endure this day of torture?" He asked quietly, his eyes were still closed as he tried to remain in control. I could tell my close proximity wasn't helping matters, but he still had my wrists grasped in his hands.

"This was the last stop. We just have to wait for the boys to be done and we can head back to the hotel." I looked toward the door to catch a glimpse of the fading light. We'd been in here a lot longer than any of us had planned. "We need to be going soon, the light is fading and with it being overcast, Strigoi could be out earlier than usual."

Dimitri's eyes snapped open. He nodded in agreeance after looking toward the door himself. He motioned for me to stand up and back away so he could safely stand up without risking another lapse of control.

"You stay in the store with Lissa and I'll go look for the guys. Don't leave until I come back unless there's a Strigoi in the store." I nodded and moved to find Lissa. We both still had to pay. I found her standing in line with her arms full of bras and panties.

"Thanks for holding my stuff, Liss."

"No problem, Rose. Did you help Dimitri with his problem?" She asked with a sly smile.

"Surprisingly, he didn't actually let me fix anything." I laughed. "He's gone to find the boys and after we pay for this, we'll head back to the hotel for the night."

I let Lissa pay first and she waited for me beside the register as I paid for my things. I thought it weird that the guys weren't back with Dimitri yet. That was until I felt my stomach twist. My inner wolf started clawing at her cage, and I knew something was wrong.

 _"Dimitri. Where are you?"_

 _"We've run into a little trouble. Nothing we can't handle. I'm sending Skinner and Bandura back to you and Lissa with Christian. Stay there until we handle the situation."_ What situation? I relaxed a little and focused on Dimitri. I needed to be able to see what was going on. A blurry image was slowly coming into focus and I saw Dimitri, Pavlov, Milgram, and Mason surrounded by several Strigoi.

"Lissa I need you to stay here. Skinner, Bandura, and Christian are on their way here, but I need to go help Dimitri." I said in a calm voice. Lissa's eyes widened in terror, but she didn't object and she moved further back into the store, finding a place to sit and wait.

I pushed my way out the door and started running. I'd never practice shifting in mid-stride, but I guess now was as good a time as any. I shed my jacket, hoping to save at least one article of clothing. I felt Dimitri's panic course through me, and my wolf burst out in a surprising display of violence. Dimitri was part of my pack and I was letting him take on Strigoi without my support.

My breathing slowed, matching every fourth footfall, and I forced my body to start Changing. I felt the familiar ache in my bones and muscles as my wolf took hold of my body. Changing in the middle of running wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I'd need to practice it a couple more times, but I was sure I could get the hang of it pretty quickly.

There weren't any humans around, but I was still trying to keep to the shadows as much as possible. I could sense the fear, not Dimitri's but that of the other Guardians. I could hear Dimitri's internal debate on whether or not he should go wolf, but now the Strigoi are too close for him to Change effectively.

"What? Performance issues? The Lycanthrope can't Change for us?" I heard in the distance. I saw Eddie dragging Christian away from the fight while Skinner and Bandura were watching their surroundings. As I approached a clearing behind the shopping complex, I saw about a dozen Strigoi creating a semicircle at the back of the clearing, near some woods.

I felt Dimitri's wolf pacing frantically in his cage, wondering why Dimitri didn't let him out, but I knew that the Strigoi were too close for him to Change safely. I was surprised by the number of Strigoi. Most didn't travel in large numbers, maybe two or three, but they weren't really pack creatures. Of course, even the six Strigoi yesterday were an oddity.

I ran into the clearing, drawing some of the Strigoi's attention away from Dimitri. The ones that smelled younger looked a little frightened of my large form, but there were two ancients in the middle of the group that just looked amused.

"So, you're the Great White Alpha everyone has been talking about." One of them said. "You've been creating quite the issue amongst our kind." I ignored his comments and slowly made my way beside Dimitri.

 _"I told you to stay put."_ He told me as more panic seeped into his body.

 _"You're my pack, Dimitri. You can't possibly think that I'd let you fight by yourself."_ I responded, keeping my eyes on the two ancients. I felt a little uneasy as my senses told me there was a Pricolici nearby. _"There's a Pricolici here. It's hiding, but it's here."_

 _"Can you tell the direction?"_

 _"From what I can smell, it's hiding behind the two ancients."_

 _"Do you think you could take them?"_ He asked me, and I scoffed.

 _"Can you send Milgram and Mason back to add more protection to Lissa and Christian? I don't know how many more could be hiding, and they're all starting to smell the same: decaying flesh."_ I saw him nod from the corner of my eye, and Milgram and Mason both took off sprinting.

The ancient in front of me smirked in amusement, but none of the Strigoi seemed to care that they were leaving.

"Don't get me wrong, Alpha. I was very much looking forward to tasting them, but now that I've seen you…" He trailed off as his eyes roamed my massive form. "I'm sure you'll taste even better."

"You're not going to touch her," Dimitri growled beside me. If this situation wasn't so serious I would have been completely turned on by his protectiveness, but I couldn't lose focus on the objective here: kill Strigoi.

"Well, isn't that sweet? Your Beta is protecting you. I'm sure the power he's gained from you will make him taste even sweeter." His lips curled back into a malicious smile as I pulled mine back in a snarl. The low growl I released carried across the field, and my ears moved forward and my body straightened.

Dimitri was my pack, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to him. What did he mean by the power he gained from me? Did Dimitri gain some of my power when I accepted him as my Beta? Will that make him a stronger Lycanthrope?

 _"Comrade, if I distract them for a few seconds, can you Change?"_ I asked. I looked over at Pavlov, and he seemed to be calculating our chances of survival. I knew I could probably take them all, but I would also be worried about the two of them. If Dimitri could fight as a wolf, our chances would be better, and I wouldn't be as worried about him.

 _"I think I can, but I'll need at least twenty seconds."_ I nodded my head and tensed my body, prepared to attack.

 _"Get ready,"_ I told him. I heard a grunt as he dropped his stake on the ground. The ancients in front of me glanced at each other and back at us a little confused. As Dimitri began taking his duster off, realization dawned in their eyes, but by then it was too late.

 _"Go!"_

* * *

 _Hey guys!_

 _I'm so very glad that all of you that have reviewed are enjoying this, and I hope that those of you that haven't reviewed are enjoying it. Since this is the main story I'm working on, I've started pre-writing another, well, two actually. I'm stumped at which one I want to really focus on to publish next, and I'd like your opinion. I'm going to give the short synopsis of each story I'm working on. If you don't mind letting me know which one you'd like to see from me next, I'd really appreciate it._

 ** _A Different Kind of Darkness_**

 _After leaving Court, Rose becomes a different kind of Darkness. With the help of a few new friends and a few old ones, Rose wreaks havoc on Strigoi, but will all that Darkness comes the light only he can bring._

 ** _In the Eyes of Roza_**

 _If green is good and gold is bad, why does she have both? Dimitri's move to America is accompanied with mysterious happenings. Can he get to his Roza before she turns gold? The fate of his life lies in the eyes of Roza._

 _~Victoria_


	21. Chapter 21

**DPOV**

I felt the panic rise up in me as Rose jumped forward, her fast movement catching the ancients slightly off guard. I'd yet to see Rose actually fight. I knew that she was more than capable of handling herself, but against a dozen Strigoi and a couple Pricolici, I wasn't so sure.

I felt the fear turn into a sheer rage as the words of the ancient came back to me.

 _"…you'll taste even better."_

He wasn't going to lay a finger on my Roza.

Since my duster was already off, I didn't care about the rest of my clothes ripping to shreds as I Changed. I barely registered my Transformation. I was so focused on the ancient that was now moving toward Rose, that as soon as my paws hit the earth, I was charging toward the fight. In my peripherals, I saw the other Strigoi racing toward us.

In wolf form, I towered over every Strigoi here by at least four feet, and Roza by three. I lunged forward at the female ancient that was trying to attack Rose from the side. My teeth sank into her neck, cutting through the bone, muscle, and tissue that held it in place.

Surprisingly, her blood, which would usually taste bitter and acidic, tasted sweet and refreshing. I felt my body grow stronger as my tongue cleaned the blood off my teeth. Perhaps the ancient was right, I was gaining some of Rose's strength now that I was her Beta.

I turned back around to see where Rose would need my help. Five headless bodies littered the ground around her. The remaining Strigoi were looking at each other with fear evident in their eyes. Rose had ended their leader rather quickly, and now they didn't know how to proceed.

"What are you?" One of the Strigoi asked, backing away as Rose stalked toward him.

 _"I'm your worst nightmare."_ She growled and pounced on the Strigoi in question. My snout curled into a smirk, and I simply watched Rose dispatch another three Strigoi. The remaining two Strigoi began to run, but Rose quickly herded them toward me. I planted my hind legs and tensed my muscles. I lunged at them. My paws hit their chests, and they fell backward.

My paws, still on their chests, pushed them back into the ground with loud cracks as their ribcages shattered. I held them down as Rose made her way over to us. She didn't seem too concerned about them escaping or about the two Pricolici still in the woods somewhere. Thinking about it, however, I wasn't sure why I even pinned these two down instead of just killing them.

 _"Thank you, Dimitri,"_ Rose said. I suppose I just automatically know what Rose wants. Mmm, I know what I want.

 _"Anything for you, Roza,"_ I said looking at her before growling at the wriggling Strigoi beneath me. _"What did you want these two for anyway?"_

 _"I need to know what they are doing here."_ Despite them being Strigoi, devoid of almost all emotions, their eyes held terror as Rose stood above them waiting for an answer.

"We were just following Isaiah's orders. He said that there was a wolf that we needed to get rid of. I'm assuming it was you. He said that the wolf was causing too much trouble in the Strigoi world, and she needed to be dealt with."

 _"Why was he worried about me? How did he know where I was?"_ Rose asked, sifting through the relevant information and discarding anything she didn't find useful. She might have been worried about the information about herself, and as her Beta, I was, too, but as an individual and a Guardian, I was more worried about the cooperation of a large number of Strigoi.

"We've been fed information through a contact within St. Vlad's." The other Strigoi answered. My eyes widened and met Rose's as her widened eyes snapped up to mine. "But I don't know who." He added quickly.

 _"Are there more of you? More that are coming after me?"_ Rose asked quickly and harshly.

"I would probably count on it." The first one answered while the second one nodded vigorously in agreement.

 _"Thank you,"_ Rose said before biting the head off of the first one. She licked her lips and smiled down at the second who had released a girlish scream upon seeing his partner beheaded. She motioned for me to do the honor.

It was strange this time around, I didn't feel like I was taking a life. I was seeing it as an absorption of power. I'm not sure if it made it any better, but it made me feel less guilty about killing a Strigoi.

 _"Do we need to take care of the Pricolici?"_ I asked looking toward the woods a little hesitantly. It hadn't been that long since I'd faced a Pricolici, but I wasn't looking forward to it. I had a few Grom marks, but most of those were gained through the help of other Guardians. The last one was gained as a solo kill.

 _"Yes, but do you think that you could escort Guardian Pavlov back to the rest of the group. You need to make sure they're alright and get them somewhere safe. We're probably going to need to cut this trip short."_ She said. _"Strigoi know where we are, so, we can't stay here. I'll take care of these two and meet you back at the car. I'll need some clothes, so just get Lissa to pick out an outfit from what I've bought today."_

 _"Are you sure?"_ I asked hesitantly. I knew I wasn't ready to face another Pricolici, but I didn't want to just abandon my Alpha and my girlfriend.

 _"I'm sure, Comrade."_ She said nuzzling the side of my face. I nudged her neck, nipping the fur there. _"I'll meet you back at the car in a bit."_

I watched her trot off into the woods, surprised when she didn't tell me to stop staring at her ass. I turned around to see Pavlov staring at the bodies scattered around me. His jaw was slack, and his eyes were wide.

 _"You okay there, Ivan?"_ I asked with amusement. His eyes met mine and he just nodded slowly. _"We're going back to the others. We're going to head back to St. Vlad's tonight."_

I started walking in the direction of the store. I walked slower than normal simply because Pavlov was still processing what had occurred in the clearing. I'd stopped, first, to grab my duster in my jaws before moving out of the clearing, scanning the area for any more danger. I didn't smell any more decaying flesh so I didn't think there were any more Strigoi around, and Roza was taking care of the Pricolici.

Since I was still in wolf form, I had to let Ivan navigate his way back to the shop to meet up with the others and get them back to the car. He'd said he'd bring me back a change of clothes. I sat in the shadows, my eyes trained in the direction Rose would be coming from. I didn't feel anything coming from her, so I assumed she was fine in dealing with the Pricolici.

I heard a howl that was swiftly cut off and I knew that Rose was accomplishing her task.

I heard the footfalls of an approaching Guardian and turned to see Guardian Bandura. He seemed impressed as he took in my wolf form and held out a pile of clothes to me. I gently took them from him using my teeth and went around a corner to Change and put the clothes on.

Just as I finished pulling my duster back on, my body lurched to the right. I saw Rose trotting towards us, her lilac eyes darting around the area and scanning for danger. There was blood soaking the fur around her mouth, speckles of blood covered her whole body, and her paws were also stained red.

I felt Guardian Bandura grow fearful as she continued to approach us, but I knew Rose would have no reason to harm us, though I had to admit she would look terrifying to anyone who didn't know her well. Thankfully, I knew her well, and she was beautiful, even when she was covered in blood.

 _"Hey, Comrade. I see that you got yourself some new clothes. Any chance I could get some?"_ She said, lowering her head to my hand as I reached out to touch her snout.

"I'll get the Princess to pick out something for you and bring it back." Guardian Bandura said, not waiting for a response before leaving.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly after he'd left.

 _"I'm fine. I've just got a few more marks to be added."_ She said glancing back toward the clearing. _"We should probably call the Alchemists."_

"Probably. I'll get one of the other Guardians to do it."

 _"We need to head back to St. Vlad's tonight, but should we really be driving at night with Royal Moroi in the car with us?"_ I sensed her hesitation, but I knew we couldn't stay here tonight, not outside the wards.

"We've got to get back inside wards. I know there is a leak inside St. Vlad's, but we can deal with that easier than we can Strigoi coming at odd times." She nodded and her head turned in the direction of the car. When I turned to look I saw Guardian Bandura approaching us with a pile of clothes. I didn't hear him approaching for another few seconds, though.

 _"I think your power will grow as mine does. The longer you possess the power, the stronger it will become."_ I nodded before moving down her side.

"Did you get hurt at all while fighting?" I asked, looking closely at the patches of blood, making sure none of it was hers.

 _"I don't think so, but I'll know more when I Change."_ Guardian Bandura had reached us and was holding out the clothes for Rose to take, but she hesitated. _"Do you mind, Comrade? I don't want to risk the blood from my mouth getting on my clothes."_

I didn't even think twice before reaching out and taking the clothes out of Guardian Bandura's hands. I moved around the corner where I'd Changed and waited for Rose to do the same. It wasn't until she was done Changing that I realized that by her Changing she'd be naked in front of me.

My eyes widened as I took in her form. Even though her human form was five times smaller than her wolf form, she still packed as much strength and beauty into her petite body. I felt myself reacting to her body as she stretched her smaller muscles, trying to readjust to her human form. I gulped as she stood before me in all her glory. She placed her hands on her hips.

"See something you like?" She asked saucily. I growled as my cock twitched when her hips swung with her jutting hip. My body reacted before my mind caught up to what was going on. I grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her between me and the wall of the building. She gasped and braced her hands on my shoulders.

It seems like I finally caught her off guard because she wrapped her legs around me to keep herself balanced, but that only caused her to bring me closer. While I was more than happy to get closer to her, she was naked, and I was trying to keep a promise to Alberta that our relationship wasn't going to get physical.

"You're really testing my self-control, Roza." I ground out, trying to gain control of my body.

"That's what I'm here for." She purred, pulling me closer and placing her lips on my neck. "I want you to know that you did this to yourself. I was going to just grab my clothes and put them on, but you had to go all Alpha on me by pushing me into a wall."

I tried to pull myself away from her and place her back down on the ground, but she pulled me closer.

"Roza," I growled.

"No. I'm quite comfortable with where I am. If you didn't want me here, you should have thought about that before you picked me up." Her nose tickled the side of my neck leaving me panting. I had to lean into her to keep myself upright. "I'll let you leave now, though. Mostly because I need to get dressed and check on Lissa."

She pushed me back gently, and I placed her naked body back on the ground and tried to calm myself as she dressed in the clothes Lissa provided. When she was completely dressed, I finally looked at her. Her clothed state didn't calm me as much as I thought it would. Lissa had picked out an outfit that hugged every curve of her body and a bra that pushed her breasts together, giving them an even fuller look.

"I suppose Lissa didn't take into account your mental state when she picked out my outfit," Rose said looking down at herself before shrugging. "Or she did, and she just wants you to squirm."

"I'm thinking it's the second option," I grumbled. I tried unsuccessfully to calm my body. I needed to focus on getting Rose to safety. I've also got Moroi to care for, but my Alpha was my number one priority.

Strigoi were coming after her, and I was going to do everything in my power to keep her safe.


	22. Chapter 22

**RPOV**

"Rose!" Lissa screamed as she jumped out of the car and sprinted toward me. I planted my feet and prepared myself to catch her when she threw her arms around me. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"Calm down, Liss," I said as I tried to pry myself from her surprisingly strong grasp, but she wasn't having it so I submitted myself to the death grip she had me in for a little longer. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt. There were a few Strigoi that needed to be taken care of, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"How many?" She asked pulling back from the longest hug in the history of long hugs.

"There were a dozen, Dimitri finished off two and I the other ten. There were also a couple Pricolici."

"That'll be a lot of marks, and that doesn't include the ones for yesterday's kills." Lissa calculated.

"Yep. I'm running out of room on my neck so they'll have to be added down my spine." I said, absentmindedly touching the back of my neck.

"Princess, Roza, I need you to get in the car. It's getting too dark, and we need to get back to St. Vlad's as soon as possible." Dimitri's voice came from behind me, and I felt his hand gently push me toward the waiting car. He opened the door for Lissa and me, but before I could climb in he stopped me. "I love you, Roza."

"You what?" I stuttered out.

"I love you." He said. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't. I've known you less than a week, but I feel like you've been the missing piece in my life I didn't know was missing until I found you."

"I feel the same," I said after staring at him for a few minutes. Each minute that passed, I watched the fear of rejection grow in his eyes. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I love you, too, Comrade."

I felt his happiness grow as he kissed the top of my head. He quickly realized that we needed to be going, so he pried himself from my embrace and gently helped me into the passenger seat instead of the back. Pavlov had an indulgent smile on his face, but the look in his eyes held a little anguish.

"Are you okay Guardian Pavlov?" I asked.

"Just fine, Rose." He said, his smile losing a little brilliance. "Just a little shaken from the attack." I could tell he was lying, but I didn't know what about.

I turned back to Dimitri, and he had a sneer etched into his face as he looked in the rearview mirror, looking at Ivan.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing a hand on his arm. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles were turning white.

"Nothing, Roza." He said, not taking his eyes off Ivan. He, too, was lying, and I felt I was missing out on something big.

 _"You want to try that again, Comrade?"_ I asked while crossing my arms over my chest.

 _"I don't like the way he looks at you, that's all."_ He replied, though his grip hadn't lessened. I continued to glare at him until he finally caved. _"He likes you, Roza, and I don't like him liking you."_

 _"Are you jealous, Dimitri?"_ I teased, and he gave a low growl.

 _"I don't mean to sound too possessive, but you are mine."_ He replied, and as his deep voice echoed in my mind, I couldn't help but shiver in desire. His sneer finally left his face and was replaced by a smirk. _"I suppose I can use this as a method of payback for the torture you put me through today."_

 _"Don't you know not to abuse your power? I could take it from you."_ I turned around to face the road as Dimitri pulled out onto the highway to head back to St. Vlad's.

"You wouldn't dare," Dimitri said aloud.

"Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. You never know." I said smirking, but I knew deep inside that there was no way I was letting Dimitri leave my pack. As far as I was concerned, he could be my only pack member and I'd be perfectly fine with that. I've heard from the brief contact with my mother that male pack members tend to get competitive with their female Alpha, and I didn't want that. I wanted him.

The rest of the trip back to St. Vlad's was done in silence. I occasionally felt Pavlov glancing between Dimitri and me, but he never said anything. Lissa and Christian were sat cuddled in the middle row, but they weren't sucking face like they had been on the way here. I sat beside Dimitri, scanning the woods that lined the road, looking for pale or monstrous figures, but I didn't see any.

One of the other Guardians must have called Alberta and told them what was happening because she was standing at the gates as we pulled up, looking extremely nervous. Dimitri had just started to roll down his window to talk to her when she rushed over to the car.

"Where is she, Belikov?" She barked. "Where's Rose?"

"I'm right here, Alberta," I said from my seat. It bothered me that she didn't ask about Lissa and Christian first, they are the Moroi, but it made me feel a little special that she thought of me first. "I'm fine. Stop freaking out. I swear you act so much like a mother."

"Don't use that tone with me, Missy, and it's not my fault. One of those idiots back there just called me and told me there'd been an attack and you were coming back immediately. They didn't say if anyone had been injured or what kind of attack it was. I expect all of the details when we meet in my office in twenty minutes."

"Do we at least have a place for Lissa to sleep since her room is off limits?" I asked with a sigh, mentally resigning myself to Alberta's later interrogation.

"We've almost finished with the renovations in the suite you all will be sharing, but I believe her room is done. She can stay there tonight with either you or Guardian Belikov, but there isn't a third room." She said before waving us through the gates. Dimitri pulled through and navigated his way to the back of Guardian housing to drop us off with all our belongings, I assumed that meant that I'd be staying with Lissa tonight.

We grabbed our suitcases, which had magically appeared in the car, not really sure how, but they were there, and as many shopping bags as we could and started into the building. Guardian Skinner and Bandura got out of the following car and helped us with the rest of our purchases. I attempted to wave to Eddie and Mason, but my arms were too full to pull off the movement successfully.

Only once I was inside the lobby of the building did I realize that I had no idea where our new suite would be. I hesitated in a direction to move and Guardian Skinner noticed and took the lead. He started down the hallway to the right of the front desk, and we followed quickly behind.

We went up the stairs to the left and continued up the second flight. Exiting the stairwell, we turned to the right and continued to the far end of the hallway. There was one door at the end of the hall, which Guardian Skinner opened and stepped aside to motion us through. The space looked like what I would imagine a college dorm suite looking like.

There were a couple couches arranged in an 'L' shape with a coffee table in front of them. The living room area was part of the same room as the kitchen. There was an island that had a breakfast bar built in. All the furniture in the room still had plastic covering it. There were four doors, two on either side of the living room, and I assumed that they led to bedrooms. The two doors to the left were open. I walked toward them, parcels still in hand, and found two bedrooms. There was a bathroom that connected the two room together.

"Liss! I think I found our rooms!" I called out. She had stopped right inside the door and dropped all of her bags. I forget sometimes that Moroi aren't as strong as Dhampir. I heard her come up behind me, and I prepared myself for the squeal I knew was coming, and I was right.

"This is going to be so much fun!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me fiercely for the second time today. I was glad she was seeing this as a good thing despite the horrible event that had to take place in order for us to be sharing a suite.

"Do you care which room?" I asked after she'd released me.

"The one with fewer windows or the one that doesn't face the sun that much."

"So, you want this one." I laughed. There was only one window in this room and it faced the shaded side of the building. The other room had two windows, considering it was the corner room, and faced a sunny side of the building, at least for half the day. "Usually I would say that I would want the room that was closer to the entrance into the suite, but considering we're in the Guardians' dorm, I'm going to let it slide."

"Why, thank you." She teased in her princess-tone.

"You're welcome," I responded in my most formal tone, adding a low curtsy, which she slapped my arm for. I laughed and grabbed my bags from where I'd dropped them in her room and continued through the bathroom, which was small with a shower, toilet, and double sinks, into my room. Both bedrooms had queen sized beds and a chest of drawers, but nothing that could be considered decorative. The closets of both rooms were back to back, behind the bathroom, sharing a wall.

The bed in my room was to the right of the door, facing a window. The chest of drawers was on the wall in between the door to the bathroom and the door to the closet. The windows had blinds and blackout curtains, but I knew during the day that I would want the curtains and blinds open. I love the sun. I placed my shopping bags on the bed to unpack later and when out into the living area. Guardian Skinner and Bandura had placed the bags they'd brought up on the kitchen island and had left. The door was closed and I was wondering where to get a key to the door and if there were keys to our individual bedrooms.

"Are you unpacking now, or are you going to wait until after your meeting with Alberta?" I heard Lissa call from her room. I heard the opening of drawers and the shuffle of bags which told me she was already unpacking.

"I'm going to wait until after our meeting. Maybe you can help me when I get back." I told her.

"Sure." She replied. I started my walkthrough of the remaining two rooms on the right side of the suite. I opened the door that mirrored Lissa's room and found another bedroom. There was a king-sized bed and I assumed it was going to be Dimitri's room. Considering his height, the size of the bed would be very beneficial. Like mine and Lissa's room, there was a closet and a chest of drawers. There was one window in the room, but it was on a sunnier side of the building.

I wonder if Dimitri loved the sun as much as I did. Lycanthropes are naturally night creatures, the whole tie to the moon and everything, but I loved being in the sun and soaking up its warmth. This bedroom looked done, so I walked through the bathroom that connected to the other room, but this room was empty. I suppose we had options on what to turn this room into.

I heard the door to the suite open, and I crept out of the room, going through the bathroom so I wouldn't make noise opening a door. Then I smelled him: pine and musk.

"Roza?" I heard him call out.

"I'm here, Comrade," I said from the doorway of his room.

"Alberta wants to see us as soon as Guardian Pavlov shows up to watch Lissa." I nodded and moved to grab my bags off the kitchen island and moved them into my room.

"Are you two going to be okay staying in here by yourselves for tonight?" He asked as he leaned against the doorjamb of my room.

"We'll be fine. You'll be down the hall, anyway, right?" I responded.

"I'll be down a floor, but yes, I'll be nearby. I'm sure you won't even have to yell for me to know something is wrong, but you can talk to me anytime if you're not comfortable staying here just the two of you." He said.

"Thanks, Comrade, but I'm sure we'll be fine. It'll be like a sleepover, but we'll have the entire suite to dance around in instead of just one room."

"Is that what you usually do at sleepovers?" He asked amused.

"We practice with Lissa's magic, and I help her, but other than that, we watch movies, dance to music, or talk about boys, but that's it," I said.

"So normal teenage things?"

"We're anything but normal," I said with a smirk.

"That's an understatement." He mumbled and turned as there was a knock at the door. "Come on, we've got to go see Alberta."


	23. Chapter 23

**DPOV**

"Come in." I heard called from inside Alberta's office. I took a deep breath before setting my hand on the handle.

"Calm down, Dimitri. You didn't do anything wrong. She's not going to be mad at you." Rose said from beside me before pushing her way into the office. "Hey, Alberta!"

"Hello, Rose. How are you?" Alberta responded with a kind smile. Her eyes only held love for Rose, but when her gaze shifted to me when I stepped into the room her eyes hardened, and she lost her smile.

"I'm good. How are you?" Rose asked back, subtly stepping in front of me, blocking Alberta's line of sight from where she sat behind her desk.

"I'll be better when I know you're safe." She responded.

"I'm perfectly safe. Not only can I protect myself, but Dimitri can protect me, too. We can sense each other and speak through a bond formed when he submitted to me." Rose stated, though Alberta hadn't had time to talk to me about that little fact and Rose bringing it up made Alberta's face harden yet again.

"Perhaps you two should have a seat." She said, and we both sat in the chairs across from her desk. She decided to focus her gaze on Rose instead of me. I'll admit that her fond gaze when she looked at Rose was preferable to the harsh glare she gave me.

"What do you want to know?" Rose asked, curling up in her chair, getting comfortable. It surprised me how small she really was, especially when she curled up into a ball like she was right now. She held so much power, so much potential, it was hard to believe that she housed all that in such a small yet perfect and sexy body. _"Stop, Dimitri. She's going to kill you if you keep looking at me like that."_

 _"Sorry, Roza. I can't help it."_ I saw the corners of her lips twitch as she held back her smile.

"I want to know what happened. When did this happen? Where did it happen? What attacked you and why? How did you handle it?" Alberta rattled off a list of questions. She started off looking at Rose, but with each question, her gaze turned to me and that harsh glare returned to her face.

"I don't know exactly when it happened or how the boys happened to stumble across a dozen Strigoi and a couple Pricolici, but I felt Dimitri's panic rise, and I contacted him. He told me to stay put with Lissa and he was sending Guardian Bandura, Eddie, and Christian back to us, but I couldn't leave my Beta to fend off that many Strigoi by himself with two other Guardians and a Novice. I don't doubt that Guardian Skinner and Guardian Milgram could have helped with one or two, but Mason isn't ready to take on more than one. Dimitri could have taken six or so, but not another Pricolici. None of them are ready for that." Rose said matter-of-factly.

"I found Christian, the Novices, and the Guardians in a video game store, and they were just coming out. The store was in a more secluded part of the shopping center, closer to the woods. It was already getting dark; shopping had taken a lot more time than we'd expected. Strigoi have a very distinct smell. They smell like decaying flesh. I alerted Guardian Skinner and Pavlov to the presence of Strigoi and told Guardian Bandura to take Christian back to Rose, where it was safer. Mason protested and Guardian Milgram stayed with me. We went around the side of the building and moved slowly to the edge of the woods."

"And I'm assuming you found Strigoi," Alberta commented.

"Yes. A dozen of them. I knew I would be able to take five or six, like Rose said, but not more than that. I didn't know about the Pricolici, their scent isn't as strong as a Strigoi's and it were masked by the scent of the woods. That's why I panicked. I knew there was a very small chance of us getting out of it alive, but I didn't want to bring Rose into it. She's my Alpha and my girlfriend, and I want to keep her safe at all costs, and that includes keeping her out of harm's way, even if it means dying in the process."

"That's not ever going to happen, Comrade. You're my Beta, and I'm an Alpha. I'm going to fight with you no matter what." Rose said softly beside me, however, her words held power.

"So, all the Strigoi were killed?" Alberta asked.

"Yes. I killed ten and the two Pricolici, and Dimitri killed the other two."

"Another ten Molnija and two more Grom?" She asked writing something down. "And two Molnija for Dimitri?"

"Yep. Is there a way we can do it more quietly than last time? I know it's more of an honor ceremony to share with the other Guardians, but I don't think they like me very much as is, and they'll start hating me if I'm adding sixteen and three." Rose asked hesitantly. "Perhaps they can just come to the suite tomorrow?"

"I think I can arrange that as long as you get the paperwork submitted in the next week."

"Have I ever been late when it comes to paperwork?" Rose asked rolling her eyes.

"Surprisingly, no," Alberta said with a small chuckle. "Is there anything else you need to tell me about the attack?" I sensed Rose's hesitation so I decided to tell Alberta myself.

"We managed to catch two Strigoi and get information out of them. They admitted that they were hunting Rose. Someone has been feeding them information from inside St. Vlad's and they knew where we were going to be and when we were going to be there. I'm not sure Rose is safe in the academy unless we find the leak." I said, ignoring the glare Rose was giving me.

"Were you going to tell me this, Rose?" Alberta asked narrowing her eyes at my Alpha.

"No. I wasn't planning on it."

"Which is why I told you," I said, sharing the same expression Alberta had.

"I'll have someone look into it," Alberta said after a few minutes of tense staring. "You both said something about a bond? Tell me about it."

"I think it started when I submitted to Rose. I can feel her, and she can feel me. We can even communicate in our minds, kind of like we would be able to do in wolf form, but it's as humans, too. I've grown stronger, and I also gain power from killing Strigoi and drinking their blood."

"We don't really know what's causing it. It could be because I'm a True Hybrid or it could be because I'm a True Alpha, either way, we don't really know what more to expect from this submission." Rose added.

"I'll have someone look into that, too," Alberta mumbled, adding something to the notes she had been taking.

"Who exactly is going to look into all of this?" I asked hesitantly.

"Someone who has a vested interest in Rose's life. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure she is safe and knows everything to help her succeed." Came her response.

"And who might that be?" Rose asked, raising both eyebrows in surprise.

"No one you need to concern yourself with just yet. When he wants to be known, he'll show up here." Alberta said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some calls to make. Dimitri, I'm taking you off all duties other than Lissa's detail. Rose, for the sake of your nerves, and because I know there's no way to separate you and Lissa, you'll be enlisted as a Guardian until we can figure out the threat to her. Perhaps the threat to you is tied to the threat to her."

"Perhaps," Rose mumbled. She unfolded herself from the chair and stood. She motioned for me to follow her and I stood without hesitation and trailed after her. We made our way silently back to the suite. It was odd to see Rose so quiet, but she was focusing pretty intently on something.

"Would you care to share what's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" I asked stopping her at the door.

"I'm trying to work through possibilities of who might be targeting Lissa." She said, staring at my chest without really seeing.

"And you."

"Huh?" She asked looking up at me, finally seeing me.

"Are you even concerned about the threat to you?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Are you more concerned about the threat against me or the threat against Lissa?" She asked.

"I'll always be more concerned about you. Not only are you my Alpha, you're my girlfriend, and I love you. No one, not even the last Dragomir Princess, could ever take precedence over you." I responded truthfully. I lifted my hand and caressed her cheek gently. She leaned into my touch and sighed. "I have something for you if you want me to go get it."

"What is it?" She asked.

"It's a surprise. Do you want it?"

"I don't know since I don't know what it is." She said eyeing me cautiously.

"I'm sure you're going to want this," I said with a growing smile.

"Then, yes, go get it." She said smiling a beautiful smile. God, I love her. "I love you, too."

I felt a blush creep up my face, but she pecked my cheek and shooed me away before entering the suite. I turned to go back down the hallway. Taking the stairs down one flight and taking a left after exiting the stairwell, I unlocked the door to my room, well I suppose it will be my old room soon and grabbed the bear that Christian had smuggled into my duffle when Rose was busy with Strigoi.

I straightened its duster and hat before heading back up to our suite. I knocked before entering to alert Rose to my presence. I didn't see her in the living area, but I heard shuffling coming from her room.

"Rose?" I called out.

"In here, Comrade." She responded. I made my way to her room and saw her unpacking her day's worth of shopping. She was just pulling out the dress when I approached the door. I felt my inner wolf recalling what she looked like in that dress, and a low growl escaped before I had a chance to stop it. "Down boy."

"You're going to be the death of me, woman," I grumbled as I sat on her bed. The bear was hidden behind my back as I watched her move around the room.

"Lissa said she was going to help me unpack, but she fell asleep. Not that I can blame her. She isn't used to staying awake for such a long time." Rose said disappearing into her closet with an armful of clothes. I pulled the bear out from behind my back and positioned it so Rose would see it when she came out of the closet.

"I can help you if you want me to." I offered.

"As much as I would appreciate the help, I don't think your wolf would be able to handle helping me unpack." She laughed.

"Oh, yeah. I kind of forgot about that." I mumbled shifting uncomfortably on the bed.

"What's that?" She asked quietly when she emerged from the closet.

"This is Comrade," I said proudly, holding the bear out to her. She slowly moved forward and took the bear.

"You made me a bear?" She asked.

"I did," I said as I watched her stroke the bear's fur.

"He's perfect." She said with a large smile before throwing herself into my arms. I caught her and fell back onto the bed with her laying on top of me.

"However, just because his name is Comrade, doesn't mean that I'm not going to stop calling you Comrade." She said with a playful glare.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I said with a smile. "Press his paw."

'Hello, Roza. I love you.' The bear said in my low voice, and her smile grew wide.

"Thank you. I love you, too." She murmured against my lips. I pressed my lips against hers, and she responded immediately. She placed Comrade gently against the pillows above our heads and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer. I moved my hands down her sides to rest on her hips.

I groaned as she spread her legs to straddle me.

"I'm sorry." She said pulling back. I knew she wasn't _that_ sorry because she didn't remove her body from mine

"It's alright," I replied as I tried to reign my body in. "Do you want me to help pack up your old dorm room?" There was still a Guardian stationed outside the suite so I didn't feel bad leaving Lissa here by herself, especially since she was sleeping.

"If you don't mind?" She asked sitting up straight but remaining straddled over me.

"I don't mind, as long as you remove your perfect body from mine before I do something I won't regret," I said.

"I think I can manage that." She laughed and climbed off of me. She finished putting away the last few things she had with her and pulled me out of her room and out of the suite. I nodded to the Guardian beside the door and followed her out of the building.

As I was pulled by my hand across campus to the Novice dorms, I realized that I'd follow Rose everywhere for the rest of my life.


	24. Chapter 24

**RPOV**

"Why do you have so much stuff?" He asked me as I loaded boxes into his arms.

"Because I've lived here since I was four, and stuff likes to pile up," I said rolling my eyes. "It's not my fault I can't just travel with a duffle of clothes and a box Westerns."

"You'll get there." He said with a playful smirk. He didn't wait for me to respond before he left the room, carrying three boxes back to the suite. I rolled my eyes and finished packing my books into a box and the last of my clothes into my suitcase.

I zipped up the suitcase and left it on the stripped bed with the last box. I decided that I was going to get Alberta to let me into Lissa's room so I can pack up anything that wasn't covered in blood. I reached her office and knocked.

"Come in." I heard and pushed my way into the room. "Rose, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like permission to pack up a few things in Lissa's room. I know a lot of it is covered in blood, but things that can be cleaned and those that don't have blood on it can be moved into the suite."

"I think I can do that." She said rummaging through a drawer and producing a key, which she handed to me. "Speaking of the suite. What do you want to do with that last room? I didn't want to assume anything but something needs to be done with it."

"I was thinking maybe a library of sorts with a desk. Maybe library isn't a good word. A room with a study desk, bookshelves, and a couple comfy chairs for reading." She smiled and nodded.

"That can easily be done. I'll send some people by with the desired furniture, and they'll take the plastic off of everything and then it will be ready for all three of you to move in."

"Thank you, Alberta," I said and made my way out of the room. I made my way to the Moroi dorms and up to Lissa's room. I unlocked the door. The smell of blood was still lingering in the air, but most of the blood had been removed from anything that could be cleaned. The bedsheets were still soaked in blood as well as the floor, but most of her knick-knacks were cleaned. I located some boxes with the dorm matron and started packing everything I knew Lissa would want. I pulled the suitcase she kept in her closet out and packed the remaining clothes into it.

 _"When you get done moving my stuff, could you help me with Lissa's?"_ I asked Dimitri.

 _"Of course, Roza. I'll be there soon."_ I finished packing everything I could and waited for Dimitri. There was an odd smell that was almost completely masked by the metallic smell of the blood. It was a perfume, I think, but I couldn't place it. I'm pretty sure I'd smelled it before, but the scent was mixed with blood so I couldn't get an idea of what it smelled like without the added scent of iron.

Now that blood wasn't covering everything, I closely inspected the room. I knew Lissa locked her door like I did, every time she left her room, so someone had to have copied her key or gained access to a master key. Other than the things I'd packed, nothing was out of place. The only thing that was left was the blood and the fox. The fox had been removed from the room and most of the blood cleared. The person who left the fox wasn't wanting anything valuable, other than Lissa.

I felt Dimitri approaching before I heard him or smelled him. I went ahead and grabbed the suitcase and let Dimitri grab the two boxes I'd managed to pack. I gave him a smile and started back to the suite. I nodded to the guardian that stood outside the door and continued into the living area. I heard Dimitri dismissing the Guardian, telling him that we'd be staying in for the rest of the day. I quietly placed the suitcase outside Lissa's door and continued into my room.

I had only gotten an hour-long nap so had essentially been up for 48 hours. I was tired, but I knew that if I went to sleep now, I wouldn't be tired when I would normally go to sleep and my sleep cycle would be thrown off. I needed to stay up for another 7 hours before I could get my normal sleep.

"You should take a nap," Dimitri said from behind me. "I can feel your exhaustion."

"I know, but if I sleep now, I won't be able to sleep later. It's better to stay up and get back on my normal sleep schedule."

"I'm not entirely sure that's how that works, but if you try to take a nap, I'll stay with you." He offered.

"I suppose that is an offer that is just too good to refuse," I said as he pulled me down on to the bed. I immediately curled into his side as he laid on his back. He wrapped an arm around my waist and rested his other hand on my hip. He kissed my forehead before closing his eyes, presumably to take a nap alongside me.

I knew I couldn't hold on for long before sleep took me.

 _"Roza?" I heard Dimitri's voice echoing in the woods surrounding me. It had been a while since I'd dreamt of these woods. Dimitri's call became more panicked, and I heard loud crashing coming from all around me._

 _"Dimitri!" I cried out. I knew Dimitri would never make so much noise, even if he was looking for me in a panicked craze. I felt unease surrounding me as Dimitri's call continued to echo off the trees. The crashing sounds came closer as did the smell of decaying flesh. Strigoi were coming, and by the sounds of it, there were a lot._

 _"The Great White Alpha will fall tonight!" I heard coming from the woods. Demonic cheers followed after._

 _"Roza!" I heard Dimitri's voice right before he burst into the clearing. He was in his wolf form and only then did I realize that I wasn't Changed. I tried to get myself to Change, but my inner wolf was lying motionless in her cage._

 _The rise and fall of her chest that should have accompanied her sleeping state was eerily absent. I felt the panic rise up in me. I didn't have a way to defend myself. I didn't have a stake with me, and it seems like my wolf was dead. I didn't even know that was possible. The wolf was part of me, and if she was dead, wasn't I, also?_

 _Dimitri might be a god, but he isn't enough to take on this many Strigoi. I had no way to help him, and he was only protecting me. He was going to die protecting me, and I couldn't let that happen._

 _"Dimitri, run! Leave! Get out of here. It's me they want. You'll be safe if you leave now." I begged._

 _"I'm not leaving you. You're my Alpha, and it's my duty as a pack member to protect you with my life." He growled while still standing defensively in front of me, scanning the surrounding woods._

 _"I will not let you die for me! You need to leave." I cried. "Please, Dimitri!? Please, leave me."_

 _"No, Roza." He growled, but my response was cut off by Strigoi emerging from the dense tree line. I didn't have to turn around to know that there were Strigoi on all sides of us. All of them stopped a few feet into the clearing._

 _"The Great White Wolf is dead." A voice rang out in the masses of undead. "Soon, it's vessel, too, will be dead."_

 _The Strigoi cheered devilishly as a man stepped forward. He stood slightly taller than the rest of them. He wasn't a Strigoi, something that worried me greatly, but a Moroi. From what I could tell, which wasn't much because my inner wolf was dead, he was a Spirit user, one that wasn't in control of his power._

 _I watched closely as the man turned his head back over his shoulder and listened for a moment before turning back to Dimitri and me._

 _"I'm not going to kill you now, but soon we'll take out your pack." He said motioning toward Dimitri, who released a loud snarl. "When you're alone, completely and utterly, we'll come for you."_

 _Without another word, all the Strigoi moved out of the clearing. Only the man remained._

 _"I don't want to do this, Rosemarie." He whispered quickly. "I don't have a choice. You must figure this out before it's too late. Keep him close. Don't let her out of your sight. There's safety in numbers. Grow your pack. They don't have to be Lycanthrope to submit."_

 _"What does that mean?" I asked moving closer to him before Dimitri pushed me back. My vision started to get blurry, and everything in the woods began to blend together._

 _"_ Roza?" I heard Dimitri's voice call out. His chest rumbled under my cheek as he spoke, "Roza, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, still a little shaken after the dream.

"First, you were whimpering in your sleep. Second, I know you. Third, I can feel you, remember?" I looked up at him. His face held concern, but he also managed to look like he would understand if I didn't want to tell him.

"It was a bad dream," I mumbled after a while of staring at him. "It felt too real."

"What was it about?" He asked, running a hand through my hair calmingly.

"My inner wolf was dead and there was no way for me to help you fight dozens of Strigoi, but you were staying to protect me anyway," I said, drawing random patterns on his chest with my finger. I felt the muscles ripple under my touch. "There was a man amongst all the Strigoi. I didn't like the way he looked at first. He told me that with my inner wolf dead, I would be dead soon. They were going to kill me when my pack was dead and I was alone."

"That's never going to happen, Roza." He said protectively as his arms tightened around me.

"That's not it," I said, squeezing him back.

"What else?"

"When the Strigoi left, the man told me that I should never be alone. He said to 'keep him close,' and to never 'let her out of my sight.' He said that I needed a bigger pack, even if they weren't Lycanthrope. Is that even possible?" I asked looking up at him. He was looking up at the ceiling with a pondering expression on his face.

"There isn't anything saying that your pack has to be all wolves." He said after a while. "All the pack member has to do is submit."

"Do you think my dream means anything?" I asked.

"My Babushka once told me to never ignore a dream. 'They all have meaning.' She said. I'm not sure what your dream means, but I think you should listen to it." Dimitri said looking down at me lovingly. "I'm not sure how to grow your pack, but I'll be there to help in any way that I can."

"Thank you. I don't know what the dream means or if any of it was real. I think it will be kind of awkward if I just ask my friends to submit to me, but I suppose I can talk to them about it." He gave a slight chuckle and tightened his arms around me once more.

"You were asleep a while. I didn't think you needed that much sleep." He told me.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked confused. I'd never slept more than four hours and couldn't imagine having slept for longer than that.

"Eight hours." He said.

"Eight hours!?" I exclaimed sitting up, moving out of his grasp as I went. He looked up at me a little lost. I felt his inner wolf calling out to me, begging me to come back. "I've never slept more than four hours in more than a decade!"

"Well, it happened." He said. "Lycanthrope usually need more sleep than that."

"But I'm not just a Lycanthrope," I said running a hand through my hair. "Why? How did I sleep that long?"

"Maybe it had to do with your dream?" He said. "Maybe it did mean something but it was going to take more than four hours for you to get all of it."

"That makes sense," I mumbled. "That is if my dream means something."

"I think it means something." He said, tugging at my arm to pull me back down against him. "As long as you keep me around, you'll be fine."

"I intend to keep you around," I said with a mischievous grin.

"NO. Don't give me that look." He said shaking his head vigorously. "That look usually means difficult times for me."

"What do you mean, Comrade?" I asked, batting my eyelashes and giving him my most innocent grin.

"You may look and sound like an angel, but you have the mind of the devil." He said placing a kiss on my forehead. "Behave yourself."

"You're no fun." I grumbled but kept myself curl into his side, 'behaving' myself.

"Not yet. Just give it a few months. When you turn eighteen, I'll be the most fun you've ever had."


	25. Chapter 25

**DPOV**

I was thankful that Alberta had Rose as a Guardian now. After her dream, I wanted to keep her as close to me as possible. I was concerned. I knew Strigoi were coming after her. I knew that someone within St. Vlad's was helping the Strigoi, but perhaps they were helping a Moroi who'd hired Strigoi to do their dirty work.

The worry I held ran through my veins at all times. I'm sure Rose picked up on it, but she never told me to stop worrying which probably meant that she was worrying, too. I hadn't slept when Rose took her nap, but I had to eventually. Rose decided that she was going to stay up until the next night to get back to her normal sleep schedule. I wasn't comfortable sleeping when I knew Rose would be up and, most likely, by herself considering that Lissa would be asleep.

During the day, I didn't worry that much. When the sun rose over the horizon my worry subsided slightly. I knew there was a non-Strigoi enemy that wanted Rose dead, and quite possibly Lissa, too, so the daylight wasn't much comfort, but I knew that Strigoi couldn't get to them while the sun was up.

"Dimitri. Go to sleep. I'm not going to leave the suite, and if I do, I'll wake you up." Rose said after I'd yawn for the fourth time.

"I don't want to leave you alone," I said, stifling yet another yawn.

"Then just sleep here. I'll start getting accustomed to the suite. I promise I won't leave." She said raising her right hand.

"You promise?" I asked, knowing that I needed sleep, but not wanting to leave her by herself.

"I promise. Go to sleep." She said giving me a light kiss. She uncurled herself from my side and left the room. I watched her go and then listened to her move around the suite. I still didn't want to sleep, but soon my exhaustion took over.

 _I was wandering through the woods at a leisurely pace. I could feel other Lycanthrope, familiar Lycanthrope, in the woods and started searching for them._

 _"Dimitri. It took you long enough." I heard Babushka's voice come from behind me. I turned around the see her graying form. She had once had the same brown coat that I have but time had slowly added a beautiful silver into her fur. She was slightly smaller than Rose, which was unusual. Rose was small for a Lycanthrope, so for Babushka to be smaller than even a small Lycanthrope, she had to be small. However, like Rose, Babushka held so much power in her form there was no doubting that she could take on any opponent._

 _"Babushka? What are you doing here?" I asked after greeting her._

 _"You need to listen to your Roza. She's in danger. She's in more danger than her friend. As long as you stay by her side, she'll live." She said, looking up into my eyes._

 _"How am I supposed to do that? I'm Princess Dragomir's Guardian. I have to protect my charge. Even if Roza is my Alpha, I can't always be there to protect her." I said almost painfully. "Not that she'll see the need for my protection."_

 _"All of that will be taken care of soon. Don't question it and don't let her tell you no. If she orders you as your Alpha, rebel." I took a step back. To defy one's Alpha is to risk pack membership. I couldn't lose my membership in Rose's pack. She's my life, and I needed her. "Don't worry. She's not going to kick you out. Keep her safe."_

 _"I will. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to Roza." I told her._

 _"Get through this and you'll be together forever." She said with a kind look. I was used to my grandmother looking stern as she gave advice. I knew that life hadn't always been the easiest for her, but I knew she loved her grandchildren, though her expression didn't always convey that message._

 _"Do you approve of her?" I asked. I know that officially they hadn't met, and I wasn't going to let Rose go even if my family didn't like her, but I still sought my Babushka's approval._

 _"She's your missing half. You would never have been complete if you didn't find her. She will be loved, probably more than you, by us. You don't have to worry." She said with a chuckle. "I'll see you soon, boy."_

 _The world around me slowly dissolved into darkness, and I wasn't disturbed until I awoke with a start._

"Roza!" I called out, falling out of the bed while I tried to make my way out of the room.

"I'm fine, Comrade. I didn't mean to wake you. I was going to try and make breakfast, but I ended up making a lot of noise." She said motioning to the pans that were laying on the floor.

"Can I help?" I asked glancing at the clock. It was almost seven in the morning. It was Sunday so we hadn't planned on doing much today. We were supposed to be coming back from Billings today, but plans had changed. Seven hours of sleep wasn't as much as I was used to, but my heart was still pounding so there was no chance of me getting back to sleep.

"If you won't mind." She said with a sheepish grin. "I don't know how to make much. Just scrambled eggs and toast."

"Perhaps this is where I can actually teach you something," I said laughing.

"If you teach me how to cook, I'll teach you how to fight better in wolf and human form. I'll set you a conditioning routine if you want. I'll teach you how to use your strength to your advantage."

"Deal," I said sticking out my hand to seal the deal. She moved forward, ignoring my hand, and threw her arms around my neck. My arms instinctively circled her waist to hold her up to my level. She pressed her lips to mine. Her tongue traced my bottom lip causing me to moan. She took that as an invitation to poke her tongue into my mouth, stroking it against mine.

I don't even know how it's possible, but she tasted like vanilla. Sweet in an almost overwhelming sense. My senses were flooded with her. The world faded away and was replaced by Roza. Her small body was pressed against mine, minimizing any space that might have been between us. Her hands tangled themselves in my hair, and her nails lightly raked across my scalp.

Somehow, her legs wrapped themselves around my waist, and my hands moved under her thighs to keep her in place. My lungs started to protest due to the lack of air, but I didn't care. Roza was my air, and I just wanted to keep breathing her in.

Much to my disappointment, Roza pulled away and unwound herself from my body, landing lightly on the floor before me. I placed my hands on her shoulders to stabilize myself, my head still whirling from the haze kissing Rose had put me in. My eyes focused on her smirking face.

"I think that was much better than a handshake, don't you?" She said placing a soft hand on my chest. The contact caused my inner wolf to want more, but I'm pretty sure that he always wanted more when it came to Rose.

"Yeah." Was my eloquent response. She laughed at me before turning back to the littered pans. She picked one up and set it on the stove before putting the rest neatly back in a cabinet. Before she closed the cabinet, I stopped her and pulled out another pan and placed it beside hers. "I think we can start with bacon and eggs. You do the eggs, and I'll do the bacon."

"Sounds good to me." She said moving to the fridge to pull out a carton of eggs and package of bacon. "How many eggs do you want?"

"How many do you have?" I asked.

"Two dozen." She responded holding up one carton and motioning to the fridge to indicate another one waiting there.

"I'll have half a dozen," I said taking the package of bacon out of her hand.

"I'll eat the other half, but I want so much bacon." She said beginning to crack eggs into a bowl. I laughed as I turned the dial on the stove to start heating the pan. My bacon was sizzling away when Rose cracked the last of the eggs. She pulled a whisk out of a drawer and began whisking the eggs. As she whisked, I added salt and pepper and turned on the burner for her pan.

The first round of bacon was done. I pulled each slice out of the still hot pan and placed them on a paper towel to drain the excess grease off them. The grease that was left in the pan was split between staying in my pan and transferring to Rose's pan.

"What are you doing?" She asked as I put bacon grease in her heated pan.

"It'll make the eggs taste better. Really cooking anything in bacon grease makes it taste better." I chuckled.

"Bacon makes everything better. It doesn't have to be cooked in bacon grease, as long as it has bacon it will be fit to eat." She laughed and added her eggs to the pan.

Her laugh filled the room, and I could imagine myself living like this for the rest of my life. I almost completely forgot that we were part of the Moroi society, that I had a real charge in the other room, that Strigoi were hunting my Alpha. All I could see was the two of us. I wrapped an arm around her waist as we stood side-by-side at the stove. She slowly stirred her eggs, making sure they scrambled, and I flipped the pieces of bacon that sat sizzling in the pan.

"I could definitely get used to this." Rose finally said.

"Me too," I said with a smile. Rose looked up at me with a similar smile on her face, but soon the smile faded and was replaced with worry.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

"We're going to go about our lives as we normally would, but we'll be extra careful," I said kissing her temple. "I'm not going to leave you alone any more than I have to."

"You can't follow me around everywhere, Comrade. You have to protect Lissa. I can take care of myself, but she can't. You have to protect her."

"No. I'm going to protect my Alpha, and you can't stop me. Even if you strip me of my membership, I will protect _you_." I said fiercely.

"Dimitri –"

"No, Roza. I will not be swayed. You are my Alpha. You are my girlfriend. You are my love, my life, my reason for existing. I will not let you go around unprotected. I've no doubt that you can protect yourself, but we don't know what we're up against. I'm doing this, and you can't stop me." She stared at me for several moments after I'd finished pretty much growling at her. My inner wolf was pacing very agitatedly in his cage.

"Alright." She finally said and turned back to her eggs that were nearly done. "Do you want cheese on these?"

"You're not going to fight me anymore on this?" I asked hesitantly.

"There's no way that I'm going to be able to persuade you differently, so I'm going to accept that you're going to protect me. I'm going to protect Lissa, and with you protecting me, you'll also be protecting Lissa." She said adding cheese to the top of our scrambled eggs. I stared at her as she emptied the contents of her pan into a large bowl and placed it on the island behind her. "Don't forget to flip the bacon. I'm not one for the crispy kind."

I quickly turned back to the frying bacon, pulling out the strips and putting in more. I glanced back over my shoulder to see Rose disappear into her room. Minutes later I heard the shower start. I tried to keep my mind off the image of Rose in the shower, but I couldn't stop my wandering mind.

 _"You need to stop, Comrade, before I come out there and make you."_ Her sweet voice invaded my mind causing me to moan. I heard the shower turn off.

 _"I'll stop,"_ I responded quickly. I heard her laugh float through the walls and the shower turn back on.

 _"Good boy."_ She said and I released a low growl only to hear her laugh again.

I decided to focus on the cooking meat in my pan instead of focusing on my naked Alpha less than five yards away. My phone started vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Belikov." I greeted.

"Dimitri. I need you and Rose in my office as soon as possible." Alberta's voice came through the other end.

"May I ask what this is about?" I responded.

"I'll tell you when you get here." She said. "Don't worry. I think you'll like what I have to tell you."

"We'll be there soon," I said and hung up. _"Roza, Alberta needs us in her office as soon as possible."_

 _"I'll be done in a minute."_ Was her response. I heard the shower run for a few more minutes before it turned off. I heard the drawers in Rose's room start opening and soon a fully clothed Roza emerged from her bedroom, much to my disappointment.

"I guess breakfast will have to wait until after this meeting," I said glancing down at all the bacon I'd just got finished frying. I heard Rose's stomach grumble from behind me.

"If I eat quickly can we spare a few more minutes?" She asked with a hopeful expression.

"I think we can spare a few minutes if it means your stomach stops sounding like a lion." I chuckled. Rose quickly piled eggs and bacon on her plate. I watched in amusement, munching on a piece of bacon, as she shoveled the food into her mouth.

I'd just finished my second piece when she dumped her plate in the sink, rinsing it quickly, and motioning me out the door.

As any good Beta, I followed.


	26. Chapter 26

**RPOV**

We entered Alberta's office, which was already open, though I could see someone else was in there already talking to her. They both stopped talking and looked up when we entered.

"Rose, Dimitri. Please, come in and sit." Alberta said with a kind smile, even toward Dimitri, which was kind of suspicious. "Abe this is Rose Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov."

The man, Abe, stood and extended his hand toward us. He was well dressed, albeit a little flashy. His skin was well tanned for a Moroi and his hair was a lush black, his face adorned with a well-groomed goatee. He smelled like a Moroi, but his scent was familiar. I was sure I'd never met this man in my life, though.

"Abe Mazur." He said, his gaze focused on me. I felt Dimitri's protectiveness increase and the air in the room grew tense.

"Zmey," Dimitri said in greeting, putting his hand out to shake Abe's.

"It's nice to see you again Dimitri. Tell me, how's your grandmother?" Abe said, shifting his focus to Dimitri while shaking his hand.

"She's doing well. And yourself?" He asked, and I looked back and forth between them in confusion. "Roza, Abe is an old friend of my grandmother. I've known him for years. Abe, this is my girlfriend and Alpha."

"Your girlfriend and your Alpha?" Abe asked in a tense voice.

"Yes, my Alpha. She's taken me on as a Beta, right after she said yes to dating me." Dimitri said, draping an arm around my waist and looking at me with a wide smile on his face.

"How old are you, Rose?" Abe asked, keeping his eyes on Dimitri, though I noticed they narrowed slightly.

"I'll be eighteen in March," I told him.

"You're dating someone seven years older than you while still a minor? How can you be an Alpha when you're not even mature yet?" He asked.

"Yes, and you'll find I'm not like other Lycanthrope. Once Dimitri came into the picture and submitted, I became an Alpha. I'm working on growing my pack." I said a little defensively.

"Abe, perhaps we should all sit down and talk this out," Alberta said, bring our focus back to why she called us here in the first place.

"Certainly," Abe muttered, his eyes never leaving Dimitri's. Dimitri's grip tightened on me, and I felt a growl rumble through his body.

 _"Are you okay, Comrade?"_ I asked as we sat next to each other.

 _"I'm fine, Roza."_ He responded, giving me a small smile while kissing my temple. Abe's eyes narrowed further at Dimitri's gesture, and I started to question Abe's presence. I was hoping Alberta was going to explain his attendance in the meeting, so I stopped observing the two males and turned my attention back to Alberta.

"Abe." Alberta started causing Abe's head to turn and give his attention to Alberta, effectively diverting it from Dimitri. "Perhaps you should explain your role in all of this."

"Of course," Abe said. He sat back in his chair and clasped his hands together. "Rose, I'm an old friend of your mother's. I'm going to be looking into the threats against you and Princess Dragomir and any information I can find about being a True Hybrid."

"And you're doing this because my mother asked you?" I asked with the slightest hint of bitterness in my voice. Dimitri's hand grasped mine and comfortingly rubbed his thumb in circles on the back of my hand.

"No. I'm doing this for you. I have a vested interest in your well-being, and I want you to succeed. Part of that success is seeing that you live to see graduation." He said, his eyes flicking down to where Dimitri had grabbed my hand before looking up at Dimitri. "Tell me, Dimitri, how did you come to know Rose?"

"I was sent here to be Princess Dragomir's Guardian and Rose's mentor, but I couldn't deny the feelings I had for her. From the moment I saw her, she consumed my every thought, both in the waking hours and in my dreams. I haven't even known her a week. I asked Alberta for permission to date Rose. She said yes, and here we are." Dimitri said monotonously.

"Indeed. Here we are." Abe said. His glare was unwavering, and I started to think that Abe's vested interest in me was starting to be a problem when it came to me dating Dimitri. However, Dimitri is _my_ Beta and _my_ boyfriend, and it was going to stay that way.

"Look, Old Man," I said matching his glare. "Dimitri has done everything by the book. I don't know who you _think_ you are, but you've no right to just show up here and meddle with my life. So, I'd really appreciate it if you butt out of my business."

He looked taken aback at my defense, but I was an Alpha, and I didn't like being told what to do, no matter who was doing the telling. His shock slowly turned to pride which confused me, though I didn't let it show, I held my glare.

"Of course. Now, I do have some information about the threat against you. The Strigoi that are hunting you are taking orders from a Moroi, but we don't know who."

"How do you know this?" Dimitri asked. I felt his anger rise, and I started rubbing calming circles into the back of his hand like he'd done for me. The anger ebbed, but only slightly.

"I have a few connections that run interrogations on Strigoi when I need them to. As for the contact within the school, I've taken care of him."

"Who was it?" The anger flared again as Dimitri growled out his question.

"I don't think I should tell you that," Abe said eyeing him carefully. I didn't know the man well, but something told me that he didn't scare easily, but he looked a little frightened of Dimitri right now. The hand that held mine tightened to almost a painful degree.

"Dimitri," I said trying to gain his attention, but he was fully focused on Abe and the information he held so he ignored me.

"Someone put my Roza at risk, and you won't tell me who did it?" Dimitri growled.

"I'd rather you be here to protect Rose instead of being thrown in jail for murder," Abe said with a smirk. "Speaking of protecting Rose, you are now officially her Guardian."

"Wait, what?" I asked looking between Alberta and Abe.

"Dimitri is your Court-sanctioned Guardian. It is now his legal job to protect you and only you." Alberta responded with a pleased smile on her face. "Not that he wouldn't have done that anyway.

"Really?" Dimitri asked with a smile on his face. "Roza is my charge?"

"How did you manage that?" I asked.

"I had a little chat with the queen," Abe said with a shrug.

"And she just said yes? Just like that?" I asked still not comprehending the situation.

"I think you'll find that the queen also has an extremely vested interest in you. Not only are you the Guardian of the last Dragomir, but you are also the only True Hybrid known to exist at the moment." Abe said with a small grin.

"What does being a True Hybrid have to do with any of this?" Dimitri asked looking over at me. I answered his questioning eyebrow with a shrug.

"The past True Hybrids have been almost completely indestructible, dying only in great battles or of old age. They are Strigoi killing machines, and they live off of Strigoi blood. Rumors are that Pricolici blood is even more powerful, but considering we don't have any primary sources from True Hybrids, we don't really know." Abe started. "They tend to be too busy killing to write anything down."

"It's true." I supplied. "Pricolici blood is ten times better than Strigoi. I suppose I can provide any insight that I can, but even I don't know what I am."

"That's very good to know," Abe said with a smile, pulling out a notepad and writing the new information down. "True Hybrids will need to feed more often after gaining a pack member. The larger the pack, the more frequent the feedings. Since Dimitri has joined your pack, you'll most likely need to be feeding every two weeks or so. Any more than ten, you'll need to feed every other day."

"That's so often!" I exclaimed.

"I agree, which means you'll need to travel to a more densely populated city, or you'll need to have a small pack."

"Does the amount I feed correlate to the species that submit to me?" I asked, and Abe gave me a confused look. "I was informed recently that my pack doesn't have to consist of just Lycanthrope. Lycanthropes take a lot of power, and it seems that I share my power with my pack. Does the shared power get used less if the one submitting is not a Lycanthrope, say a Moroi or Dhampir?"

"Huh…I've never thought of that. Other, normal, Alphas can't have packs that aren't Lycanthrope, but I can see where a Dhampir or a Moroi wouldn't need as much shared power as another Lycanthrope." Abe said stroking his goatee thoughtfully. "I suppose the only way to find out is to grow your pack with more than just Lycanthrope."

"I don't know how to grow my pack," I stated. "It's not like I can walk up to someone and demand they join my pack. They have to submit to me, and I have to accept them."

"Perhaps we can start with your friends," Alberta said. "I know Lissa is pretty much part of your pack already, she just has to do the ritual part of submitting. Mason and Eddie probably wouldn't mind if you explained the situation, but I think Christian will have the hardest time. However, I think Lissa will be able to make him see sense."

"The term 'whipped' does come to mind," I said laughing. "However, I wouldn't even know how to bring up that topic with my friends. The term submission has such a sexual connotation associated with it now that I'm pretty sure they'd get the wrong idea."

"We'll all help you, Roza," Dimitri said. I knew the way that Dimitri submitted wasn't exactly normal when it came to submission. I know that I just told them that submission had the sexual connotation, but Dimitri's submission was very sexual and probably wouldn't help my case. I don't really know what to expect from a normal submission.

"Thanks, Comrade," I said giving him a smile. "Oh, before I forget, will Lissa have another Guardian? With Dimitri being assigned to me, I'll be her only Guardian, will she have another?"

"Yes. We're assigning Ivan Pavlov to be her second." Dimitri released a low growl at Alberta's response. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Dimitri is just being a little overprotective," I said rubbing his hand. "He believes that Guardian Pavlov has shown me a little too much interest."

"It's not overprotectiveness. I can smell attraction on him, and I don't like it one bit." Dimitri growled. His growl was super sexy, and his protectiveness, even if it wasn't warranted, was _hot_.

"Well, he's the best Guardian here, excluding the two of you, so he's going to be guarding Lissa," Alberta said a little uneasily. Abe look amused by Dimitri's reaction. "I'll make sure he knows he's to be far guard at all times."

"And there's no way that I can persuade you otherwise?" Dimitri asked.

"Perhaps I can ask one of my best Guardians to fill the position?" Abe offered, looking at Alberta for permission.

"Which one?"

"Pavel."

"He's your personal Guardian, is he not?" Alberta asked wide-eyed.

"Yes, but I only want the best for Rose," Abe said giving me a kind smile.

"Abe, I can't ask you to give up your personal Guardian for me or for Lissa. Dimitri is just going to have to live with Guardian Pavlov." I responded while giving a pointed look to Dimitri. His eyes narrowed, and his face adopted a deep frown.

"I'm not going to be happy about it." He grumbled after a few tense moments of staring at each other.

"I'm not asking you to be. I'm asking you to deal with it until we find the threat against the two of us. Perhaps this will encourage you to work faster to find the threat." I said cheekily.

"Sadly, I'm not the one in charge of finding the threat. That would be Mr. Mazur's job." Dimitri growled. "I'll be the one resisting the urge to kill Ivan as his gaze lingers on your ass a little too long."

"Like you don't stare at my ass, too." I snorted.

"Except you're my girlfriend and my Alpha. I have a reason to stare at your ass, considering it, in part, belongs to me. Your ass does not belong to Guardian Pavlov, yet he stares at it like it's his most prized possession." I could see the gold fire glowing in Dimitri's eyes, and his inner wolf was tensed, ready to spring from his cage.

"Calm down, Dimitri," I said grabbing his hand again. I felt him relax slightly, but his inner wolf was still tense and pacing. "You're going to be by my side every moment of every day. Guardian Pavlov is not going to have a chance to look at me wrong before you step in. You've nothing to worry about."

"I still don't like it." I thought it kind of cute as he sat back and pouted. I looked up at Alberta and Abe as we finished our mini-discussion. Alberta looked a little lost as I had gotten Dimitri to agree to the arrangement a lot sooner than she would have, perks of being an Alpha. Abe just looked amused as he sat back in his chair.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss?" I asked looking at the two of them.

"I don't have anything more," Alberta said but looked toward Abe.

"I've nothing more to discuss with you Rose, though I would like a private word with Guardian Belikov, if you don't mind." Abe's friendly demeanor shifted when he looked at Dimitri, but quickly reverted back to its original friendly state when he looked at me.

"Of course. I'll wait for you outside, Comrade." I said looking warily at Abe, but I stood and moved out of the room, closing the door behind me.


	27. Chapter 27

**DPOV**

I didn't place the scent until Rose walked past me to get out of the room. It was her scent, well, part of it, except it was on him.

"You're Rose's father," I stated plainly once Rose had firmly closed the door behind her. There was a reason he didn't disclose that information while she was in the room, and I wanted to know why.

"How did you know?" Abe asked, confirming my statement.

"Your scent. It's similar to Rose's, but she has more lavender in it. You've got a very distinct vanilla scent. The only other person I've ever smelt that has vanilla is Rose." I said but studied him closely. "However, now that I'm looking closely, I can see the similarities. She's got your hair."

"That's not the only trait of mine she's received. Has she always had that kind of control over you?" He asked with a smirk on his face. The expression reminded me so much of Rose.

"Sadly, she could have me down on my knees with just one look," I said with a sigh.

"I'm sure the look she gives you to get down on your knees would be a lot nicer than the one I would give you," Abe said menacingly. "Let's make something clear, Belikov. I like you. I think you're a good man that comes from a good family. However, that's my daughter out there."

"I know that, sir. I've already been threatened several times in the past two days. I'm not going to hurt Rose, emotionally or physically. I'm going to protect her with my life. I love her."

"I don't doubt it. I see the way you look at her, but I'm not making threats. I'm making promises. I'd hate to have to hurt you." He said all while keeping a small smile on his face. I know what Zmey is capable of, but I knew I'd never do anything to be on the receiving end of his rage.

"You've nothing to worry about from me," I said confidently.

"We'll see." He said after giving me a long look. I felt my inner wolf retreating to the back corner of his cage, but I knew I needed to face Rose's father head-on. If I couldn't handle Abe, I couldn't handle Rose. Even then, I'm pretty sure that Rose could be a lot more dangerous than her father.

"Are we done here?" I asked.

"Yes. You may leave." Abe said raising his hand to wave me off.

"Do you have any intention of telling Rose?" I asked as I paused at the door.

"I will soon, just not right now," Abe said a little disappointed. "I'm waiting for her mother to get here. Janine is going to explain everything. I'd appreciate it if you could keep this to yourself?"

"Don't worry about it. I know Rose isn't too fond of her mother, and I doubt she'll like you at first. Give her time. She has a kind heart, but she's quick to anger."

"She would get that trait from both her mother and myself," Abe said with an amused smile. "Don't mistake my absence in her life as indifference. I love her, she just doesn't know it yet."

"I'll see you soon, Mr. Mazur," I said nodding in his direction, not waiting for an answer before joining my Roza out in the hallway. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed.

"Don't worry, Comrade. Alberta has worked way too hard to make sure her office is soundproof. I didn't hear anything, though I did notice you stood at the door longer than you should have."

"I was straightening out a few details," I said evasively. I stared at her, tracing her body with my gaze. She continued to lean against the wall, her back arching, legs crossed at the ankle, arms folded across her chest. She looked tired. She'd been up for a while, though she had gotten a lot more sleep than she'd normally get. I assumed the threat to Lissa's life was taking more of a toll on her than the threat to her life.

"Are you ready to go back to the suite? Everything should be ready for complete move in." She said finally, pushing away from the wall and opening her eyes.

"Lead the way," I said waving my hand to the door. She moved out of the building in front of me, giving me a wonderful chance to stare at her ass.

"Do I even need to tell you?" Her amused voice called back to me.

"You can tell me, but it's not going to stop me," I said with a smirk.

"Is there anything that will stop you?" She asked looking back over her shoulder.

"Probably not," I said with a shrug.

"I suppose I'll just have to live with it then."

"Indeed. You will." I nodded solemnly. I felt her roll her eyes as she opened the door to the Guardian dorms. I was looking forward to following her up the stairs with an unobstructed view. Her ass standing was marvelous, perfect, but her ass as she ascended the stairs begged to be touched.

"Don't start something you won't finish," Rose said as we started the second flight. I didn't even realize, but my hand was raising to touch her perfect body. I released a groan as I tried to control my own. My inner wolf was looking quite smug with himself for taking control without me knowing. "You did this to yourself."

"I know. I know. You don't have to keep reminding me. I remind myself every time I look at you." I grumbled. She laughed as she unlocked the door to the suite. As we entered the suite, I saw Lissa gliding around the room, placing things in their new homes.

"Hey, Rose!" Lissa smiled as she saw her best friend. "Where have you guys been?"

"We had a meeting with Alberta. I'm assuming that the movers came in and fixed the extra room and the furniture." Rose said gesturing to the newly revealed furniture.

"Yep, and I have to say, I like your idea for the extra room," Lissa said with a smile. It seems that Lissa always had a smile on her face, even in the most solemn of times. I was curious to see what Roza had done with the extra room. I know we'd talked a little about what we'd do with it, but we'd never actually decided.

I walked into the room and smelled the distinct smell of books. It was the smell associated with a library or a bookstore. I felt a smile spread across my face as I took in the wall of bookshelves waiting to be completely filled. It seems that Lissa had already put hers and Rose's books on the shelves, but I knew I had quite a few to add to the collection. There was a desk situated under one of the windows, allowing the moonlight to spread across its surface. Under the other window were a couple of plush, comfy-looking chairs. The looked like they'd be perfect for curling up in with a book.

"I think they turned the closet into a safe room of sorts, but I'm not really sure. I'm guessing you'll know what it is more than I will." Lissa said from behind me. I turned to see her and Rose leaning against the wall near the door.

"Do you like it?" Rose asked with a smile on her face. I'm sure she could tell by the smile on my face that I liked it.

"I love it, Roza. I think it's perfect. Now I have a place for all my books."

"That was the idea." She said, smile still on her face. "Do you need any help moving your stuff up from downstairs?"

"I should be able to carry it all in two trips, but if you want to help, we can get it in one."

"Then I want to help. Will you be okay here by yourself for a little bit, Liss?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. You'll be right downstairs, and I'm sure you'll be able to hear me scream if I need you." Lissa said laughing.

"Let's hope you won't need us. We'll be back soon." I said ushering Rose out of the suite and leading the way to my room.

"I was kind of kidding when I said your life could fit into a duffle, but I didn't think I'd come close to actually being correct."

"Don't hate. I didn't want to bring that much from Russia. I would have sent for more of my stuff when we settled at court. I wasn't planning on getting too comfortable here. I'll leave decorating up to you and Lissa." I said laughing.

"It won't be me decorating, Comrade, that's all Lissa. If you give her permission, she'll go crazy so you might want to rethink that statement."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said as I started packing my few belongings in the box that I'd unpacked them from a few days ago. I didn't have much, unlike Rose, but I had enough where I needed one box, a duffle, and a suitcase.

"What can I help you with?" Rose asked as she sat on my bed. I couldn't help but picture her waking up in my bed, her hair mused, and her naked body artfully draped with my sheets. "I can help with that, if you want."

"I wish," I mumbled quietly, but she had to have heard me because she laughed. "Could you pack up my shaving kit in the bathroom?"

She didn't respond but she rose off the bed and moved into the bathroom. I heard her opening cabinets and drawers. The noise stopped for a minute before I heard a spritz.

"Rose? What are you doing?" I asked moving over to the doorway to the bathroom. Rose was just putting my cologne into my shaving kit.

"What? I like the way you smell." She said shrugging her shoulders as she zipped the kit closed and held it out to me. I chuckled as took it from her to place in the box.

"Well, you're welcome to it whenever you need it," I called back over my shoulder.

"I think I'll spray Comrade with a little of it. Then he'll be just like you." She said with a large smile on her face. I don't think I've ever smiled as much as I have in the last three days in my entire life. Rose was truly a blessing.

I know I've said this several times before, but I can't believe that I've only known this amazing woman for less than a week. I feel like I've known her my entire life. She's given me a reason for existing. The week before moving here, after losing Ivan, was the hardest week of my life. I didn't expect my life to change so much in the span of a week. I'd lost my best friend, but gained a new best friend, a girlfriend, and an Alpha.

"Do you wear perfume?" I asked thinking about her scent. Her natural scent was vanilla and lavender, but I didn't know if she ever wore perfume.

"Nope. I don't have the patience to coat myself in something I know doesn't smell like me. Your cologne adds to your natural scent, I haven't found anything that I like enough that smells enough like me to wear." She said placing herself back on my bed as I started folding clothes and putting them in my suitcase.

"I don't think you need perfume. You smell perfect just as you are." I said as I emptied one drawer and moved on to the next.

"What do I smell like to you?"

"Vanilla and lavender. More vanilla than lavender." I stated glancing over at her. She'd laid back in my bed. Her body sunk into the mattress slightly, and she looked so comfortable. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing caused her breasts to rise and fall seductively. "What do I smell like?"

"Pine. Occasionally, I'll get a whiff of pine smoke, like a campfire. You smell like a forest or Christmas." She responded with a smile.

"So, what you're telling me is that I'd be hard to track in a heavily wooded area," I said chuckling.

"I never thought of it like that, but I'm sure I'd still be able to track you." She sat up and studied me. I was close to being done packing, and I suppose she knew it.

"Could you grab the box? I'll follow up in a bit with my duffle and suitcase."

"Sure." She said and grabbed the box. She left the room and turned down the hallway, making her way back to the suite. I felt my body aching to follow her, so I shoved the rest of my clothes, unfolded, into the suitcase, zipped it closed, and grabbed my duffle.

As I exited my room, old room, I caught sight of Rose entering the stairwell. I didn't bother to close the door behind me as I half-jogged toward the stairs.

"Need some help there, Rose?" I heard Ivan Pavlov's voice come from halfway up.

"No, thanks. I got it." Rose said kindly. I felt myself growl as I turned into the stairwell. Rose was slightly backed into the wall on the landing. Ivan had blocked her path to continue up the stairs. Normally, she could have gone around him, but she had my box in her arms and didn't have room to go around.

"Are you sure?" He asked taking a step forward. I knew Rose could handle herself, but he'd backed her into a corner with nowhere to go. It sounded like his offer was genuine, but his actions suggested a threat.

"I'm sure. Will you please back up and let me pass?" She asked. Her voice was strong, but I felt a little anxiety pulse through her.

"Come on, Rose. Let me help you." He whispered reaching for the box. I felt myself tense even more. The growl that escaped my body was much more animalistic than it should have been in my human form.

Rose's eyes widened as she realized what was going to happen. I dropped my bags as Ivan turned toward the sound of my growl.

"Don't touch her."


	28. Chapter 28

**RPOV**

"Dimitri. Stop." I said stepping in front of Guardian Pavlov. I understand that Ivan was being threatening, but things were about to get out of control. I felt Dimitri's anger rise as he kept steady eye contact with Ivan. There was no stopping the Change.

A wolf Dimitri's size should not have been able to fit inside this small stairwell, but he did. Ivan's fear grew as Dimitri did.

"Guardian Pavlov, I suggest you find a different route out of this building, and the next time I tell you to step aside, I suggest you listen," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on Dimitri's chocolate brown form. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, but he stayed put at the bottom of the stairs. I heard Ivan dash up the stairs and down the hall to the stairs at the other end of the building. "Comrade, calm down."

 _"I told you I didn't like him."_ He growled.

"I know. We'll call Alberta and ask if Abe is still willing to provide one of his Guardians. As long as it isn't his primary Guardian, I'll accept them. Now, pick up your bags and come into the suite before you Change again." He looked slightly pacified, but his anger was still palpable.

 _"I need to run."_ He said sharply.

"Then wait here. I'll run with you." I said shifting the box to be placed under one arm and moved down the stairs. I decided to set the box down to I could calm Dimitri a little. "I love you, Comrade."

 _"I love you, too, Roza. I hate the way some men look at you. I know as a pack member I don't have any claim to you, but you're my girlfriend. I'm protective, to say the least."_ I reached my hand up to the scruff of his neck and stroked his soft fur. He leaned into my touch, closed his eyes, and released a sigh.

"Would it make you feel better if you had some claim on me in the pack?" I asked as I felt his anger die down.

 _"Maybe, but I don't want to push you into anything you aren't ready for."_ He said pushing his nose into my neck. I released a giggle as the cold, wet nose made contact with my warm skin. I wrapped my arms around Dimitri's massive neck. I clasped my hands around the back of his neck and giggled again as he lifted his head, lifting me up off the ground.

I felt his chest rumble in the best laugh that a wolf could manage.

"Are you still wanting to run?" I asked after a few minutes of hanging there. Dimitri's anger had diminished as I hung off his neck.

 _"No. Let's get me moved in."_ He said and lowered me back to the ground. I placed the box back under one arm and picked up his suitcase. Dimitri picked up his duffle gently with his mouth and followed me up the stairs. He navigated the narrow stairwell gracefully but seemed relieved when we emerged out into the hallway.

I had to put the box down to open the door but soon closed the door behind Dimitri's massive form.

"What happened?" Lissa asked as she looked up from her spot on the couch. She eyed Dimitri carefully. I know she hadn't seen Dimitri in his wolf form, but she knew it was him from my descriptions.

"Guardian Pavlov cornered me in the stairwell, and Dimitri didn't take too kindly to the gesture," I said putting the box on Dimitri's new bed. I didn't know how Dimitri would fit inside the room, much less move through the doorway. He seemed to notice his dilemma, also.

 _"Could you two possibly give me a minute to Change?"_ He asked slightly embarrassed.

"Sure thing, Comrade," I said and pulled Lissa into my room with me.

"So, what actually happened?" Lissa asked once the door was closed.

"That is what happened. Guardian Pavlov backed me into a corner on the landing of the stairwell. Dimitri was gathering the rest of the stuff from his room and was a few steps behind me, but Ivan didn't see him. He offered to help me with the box I was carrying, but I kindly told him no. When he kept offering, pushing me further into the corner, Dimitri lost control. I'd never seen a Guardian so scared."

"That's so heroic. He's like your knight in shining armor." Lissa sighed dreamily.

"I guess. I could handle myself, though I do admit it was hot seeing him lose control like that." I said falling back on my bed. "He's my Guardian now, you know? Dimitri has been assigned to protect me. I'm still your Guardian and Guardian Pavlov was going to be your second, but now we're going to request someone else."

"Completely understandable," Lissa said lying beside me. "Are you okay with this?"

"Yeah. Dimitri and I talked about it before meeting with Alberta. He told me that he was going to protect me no matter what. He refused to be swayed on the matter, so I conceded. Liss, I haven't known this man for a week, and I can already picture the rest of my life with him. Not only that, but I can't imagine myself with anyone but him."

"That's so romantic. What are you going to do about it?" She asked.

"I need to grow my pack. There's a threat to you and to me, and until it's gone I need to prepare myself for what's coming next." I said looking over at her trying to find the words to ask her.

"Spit it out already, Rose," Lissa said with a smile.

"Would you be part of my pack?" I asked shyly.

"Part of your pack? I can't be part of your pack. I'm a Moroi." She said confused.

"You can be. I'm not a normal Lycanthrope, so I don't follow the same rules as normal Lycanthrope. I can have pack members that aren't Lycanthrope, they just have to submit to me as Alpha."

"How do I submit to you?" She asked. I took that as a yes to being part of my pack.

"I'm not really sure. I've only ever known about how Lycanthrope submit." I told her.

"Well, how do Lycanthropes submit?" She asked standing up in front of me.

"Well, they're usually are in wolf form. They'll lie down on the ground in front of the Alpha, exposing the underside of their neck and the flesh part of their underbelly – the weakest point of the wolf – as a sign of their loyalty. The Alpha will do a power display but eventually accept, or not, the wolf into their pack."

"So, I just have to show you my weakness and pledge my loyalty?" Lissa asked.

"That's the gist of it." I nodded.

"Do you need to be in wolf form?" She asked laying back down on the bed.

"I don't think so."

"Well, I've already pledged my loyalty to you, and you know all my weaknesses. It seems to me that you just need to accept me into your pack." Lissa said with a sly smile, raising an eyebrow in my direction.

I'd never thought of it like that, but I looked deep in myself, summoning my Alpha to accept Lissa into my pack.

"Welcome to the pack." I heard from the doorway. Dimitri was dressed and leaning on the doorjamb with a smirk on his face.

"Thanks," Lissa said with a laugh.

"You'll notice some changes. You'll be stronger, more powerful. You might find that you gain more strength from a smaller amount of blood. If you find yourself craving something stronger than human blood, you'll probably need to start hunting with us." Dimitri said while raking his eyes over my body. I felt a shiver travel down my spine.

"Will I always feel that strong of a connection between you two?" Lissa asked, breaking the trance that Dimitri and I had been pulled into.

"If we become Paired Alphas you won't, but until then, you probably will," Dimitri said with a shrug.

 _"I hope they become Paired Alphas quickly."_ I heard Lissa think.

"Careful, Liss. I can hear you now." I said with a chuckle. "Could you hear her, Comrade?"

"No. I think we all have a connection with our Alpha, but we have to try to communicate with each other." Dimitri said shaking his head.

"This is going to be weird," Lissa mumbled.

"Not really. Now we won't need to be right next to each other to talk to each other. We're always able to keep in touch. If you get bored in class, you'll have a way to entertain yourself." I told her. "Perhaps this will also allow you to strengthen your Spirit. I don't know what effect this will have on the Darkness, but perhaps we will all share it and the effects won't be as harsh as they are with me."

"What Darkness?" Dimitri asked straightening up.

"You didn't tell him?" Lissa asked shocked.

"No. I've been a little busy, and I don't really think about it that much," I said shrugging.

"What Darkness?" Dimitri repeated his question.

"When Lissa uses her power, she created Darkness. It's a harmful side effect of Spirit. If Lissa hangs on to it, it'll drive her mad. As a part of being a True Hybrid, I have the ability to control some elements. My Spirit element manifests itself in a helpful way of taking other Spirit users' Darkness. When I take it, it fills me with anger. It's not that bad, but I don't know how it will react to being shared."

"If that's your Spirit ability, doesn't it create your own Darkness?" Dimitri asked after a moment of silent contemplation.

"Yes, but my Darkness just causes me to get hungry. Because it's my manifestation, I'm better equipped to deal with it."

"Are you sure?" He asked. I felt his worry die down a little.

"You worry too much, Dimitri. I'm fine. I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me." I said hugging his waist.

"I'll always worry about you, Roza." He whispered in my ear. I turned my head and kissed his cheek.

"Are you all moved in? Or do you need help?" I asked still wrapped in his embrace.

"I could use your help." He said with a smile.

"I'm going to finish unpacking for you, Rose," Lissa said before shooing us out of the room.

Dimitri grabbed my hand and pulled me over to his room, closing the door behind us.

"You planning on doing something with this privacy?" I asked as he placed his hands on my hips. I looped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to me.

"I was hoping to. I haven't had a lot of time to have you to myself since I saw you come out of the dressing room in Victoria's Secret. That and your little show when you Shifted in front of me. You're a tease and you know it." He growled low, pushing me back toward the bed. His grip on my hips tightened as he quickly twisted and fell back on the bed, pulling me with him.

I spread my legs to straddle him when I landed on top of him.

"And this was your solution?" I asked moving my hips against his.

"I'll admit that I didn't think this far ahead." He stuttered out. His heart rate increased significantly as his eyes raked over my body.

"Well, now that we're here, what do you think we should do?" I asked placing my hands on his chest, one on either side of his sternum.

"Well, now that we're here, I'm finding it hard to think." He said.

"I'm sure that's not the only thing you're finding hard," I said grinding my hips down.

"You're being a tease again." Dimitri breathed as he flipped us over. His weight as he settled his body over mine pushed me further into the mattress. His hands gripped my wrists and held them above my head. His chest pressed into mine as he brought his lips down to my neck.

I moaned as his sucked at my pulse point. My legs wrapped around his hips, bringing him even closer to me. A growl rumbled in his chest as he nipped at my skin.

"Now who's being a tease?" I asked with a shaky voice. I felt him smile against my skin, but he didn't stop. He continued down my neck and across my collarbone. His lips were light against my skin as he reached the neckline of my shirt. I knew he wasn't going to go any lower, but a girl could hope.

I felt his erection grow as I wiggled underneath him, searching for the friction my body craved. A more animalistic growl escaped my throat as he ground his hips into mine.

"Dimitri…" I whispered as he kissed his way back up my neck.

"Hmm?" Was the only response that came from him.

"I need you." I breathed as he nibbled on my earlobe.

"Trust me, Roza. I need you, too, but I'm not having sex with you until you're eighteen or we're Paired. I'm not rushing you into anything and I'm not asking you to commit. I just want you to be sure about this, about us." He said pulling back and looking down at me.

I knew from the moment that he submitted to me that I wanted him to be my Pair, but I didn't want to take advantage of him. The Paired Beta usually doesn't have a say when an Alpha picks them. I wanted Dimitri to want me just as much as I want him. I was sure.

"Dimitri. Will you be my Pair?" I asked quietly.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to do this just so I'll have sex with you. I want you to want me."

"I want you. I've wanted you as soon as you submitted to me. I thought about making you my Pair that day, but I wanted to wait until I knew you were sure. I didn't want to take advantage of you as your Alpha." I answered truthfully. "Will you be my Pair?"

"I'd love to, Roza."


	29. Chapter 29

**DPOV**

I can't believe I'm Paired with my Alpha.

We're an Alpha Pair.

Rose is mine.

I probably need to talk to Alberta.

What's Abe going to say?

Shit.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked from her place underneath me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said trying to mask my anxiety.

"Don't lie to me, Dimitri. We may not have forged our Paired Bond, but I can still read you better than you think." She said glaring up at me.

"I didn't talk to Alberta about becoming a Pair. I only asked about dating, but I doubt she's going to allow me this." I said rolling off of her and on to my back beside her. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at me.

"She's going to have to allow this because she doesn't have a choice." She said determinedly. "You're mine. This is my pack. She doesn't get a say in my Pair. You're _mine_. I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me."

My cock twitched as she verbally Claimed me. I released a low growl and rolled to face her. She moved closer to me, turning on her side and placing a hand on my chest. The heat that spread out from under her hand was like fire, but instead of pulling back from the source of heat, I pulled her closer.

She was my Alpha, but I was going to take control of this situation. I grabbed the back of her thigh and hooked it over my hip, bringing her core closer to my throbbing dick. I should probably be gentle, considering this would be her first time, but my inner wolf and hers were begging us to go hard, and hard I was.

"Dimitri." Roza whimpered. I pushed her onto her back, placing myself between her thighs. She tangled her fingers in my hair and pulled my face down to her lips. I kept my hand on her thigh, rubbing small circles with my thumb as I rocked my hips into hers. She released a growl that made mine sound tame.

"You're mine, Roza," I whispered and nibbled on her earlobe. I smiled smugly as she shivered underneath me. The hand that was on her thigh was moving higher, tracing the curve of her ass, and slipping under her shirt. The smooth skin under my fingers prickled with small goosebumps as I traced the curve of her ear with my tongue.

"Claim me, Dimitri." She breathed, tugging at my shirt. I raised myself slightly off her body, allowing her to slip the offensive article off my torso.

"As you wish," I smirked and set my lips to work on her neck. Occasionally, she'd release an un-Alpha like whimper which only worked to spur me on. I pulled her shirt off, revealing her plump breasts as they nestled in a bright red bra. Red has never been my favorite color, it reminded me too much of blood, but on Rose, the color caused my cock to harden even more. I'd never been this hard in my life.

I nipped at the top of her breasts causing her to squeal. I traced my tongue lightly over the swells as the hand that wasn't holding me up moved around to unclasp her bra. I pulled the piece of fabric away from her body to reveal her perfect nipples. They were just as hard as my cock as they called out to me. I lowered my lips to her right nipple and wrapped my lips around it. The moan she released produced one of my own.

I gently bit down on the hard peak as she started to squirm. My teeth sank into her soft flesh and her back arched up off the bed. I smoothed my tongue over the skin I'd bit before I moved to her left breast and gave it similar attention. She had one hand tangled in my hair, scraping against my scalp in an erotic manner, and the other hand ran its nails the length of my back.

Her nails were short but were still long enough to leave marks. I couldn't help the shiver of pleasure that ran down my spine as her nails ran over my ass.

"Roza." I groaned as I placed a kiss between her breasts. I moved down her body, unwrapping her legs from around mine as I went. I could hear her heart beating frantically, and I could smell her arousal far before my mouth reached the waistband of her jeans.

I used my teeth to pull at the fabric which caused her stomach muscles to tense as she shivered.

"Tell me you want this," I said as my hand traced down between her breasts and over her stomach.

"I want you, Dimitri. I've wanted you from the moment I saw you, before then, even. I needed you in my dreams, and I most definitely need you now." She said looking down at me. My fingers unbuttoned her jeans and paused at the zipper.

"You want this?"

"Yes." She breathed. Her head tipped back and her eyes closed as my fingers slowly pulled down the zipper. I pulled myself up on my knees and hooked my thumbs on the inside of her jeans.

"Do you want this?" I asked in a deep, low, heavily accented voice.

"Yes." She breathed again. I slowly began to remove her jeans, leaving her underwear on for me to take off in a similar manner. She raised her hips off the bed to help me remove her jeans. I nipped the inside of her thighs, the smell of her pussy was almost enough to throw my plan of sexual torture out the window.

I released a growl that caused her to whimper yet again. After I'd gotten her jeans off, I ran my hands back up her legs, following with soft kisses and gentle nips. When I looked up at her, her eyes were glowing lilac as she watched my progress up her body. I felt my inner wolf panting in his cage as my breath caught in my throat.

Before I knew what was happening, she had me pinned on my back. Her nearly naked body straddled mine. She'd taken both of my wrists in one hand and held them above my head as she leaned over me. Her eyes were still shining a bright lilac.

I couldn't stop my eyes as they travel the length of her body and noticed how it was positioned over me. Her underwear was the only thing keeping me from seeing her completely naked, and I narrowed my eyes at the offensive clothing, willing it to disappear. My hips rose slightly off the bed so I could rub my clothed dick against her ass. Her eyes narrowed, but she lowered her lips to mine.

Her tongue traced my lower lip and her hand that wasn't holding me down ran up my chest and around the back of my neck. Her nails lightly scraped my scalp causing me to moan. She took that opportunity to snake her tongue into my mouth. Her sweet taste filled my mouth as her scent completely invaded my senses. I closed my eyes and focused on becoming completely immersed in her.

She removed her hand from my hair but kept me pinned. She trailed that hand down my chest, and I felt my muscles ripple as her soft fingers traced them. Her fingers stopped as they reached the waistband of my jeans. She expertly released the button and didn't hesitate to unzip them. Though she moved a lot faster than I had, her touch alone caused me to squirm like a tortured man.

Her lips moved away from mine which caused me to whimper and open my eyes. She wore a devious smirk and didn't return her lips to mine. Instead, she moved her lips to my ear. The sound of her breath and the feel of it tickling my ear caused me to growl again. Her teeth nibbled at my earlobe as her hand slipped inside my jeans and rubbed my dick through my boxers.

Now it was my turn to wiggle beneath her.

"Mmm…I can't wait until I have your hard shaft buried deep within me." She breathed in my ear. "Imagine how it will feel to have me screaming your name."

I don't know what power seized me, but I quickly pulled my wrists from her grasp and sat up, catching her by surprise.

I crashed my lips into hers and pulled her hand out of my pants. I quickly tore the flimsy piece of fabric that still covered her from her body and threw it across the room with the rest of her clothes. One of my hands grabbed her ass and lifted her and the other wound itself into her long hair, keeping her lips in place.

I stood from the bed, allowing her to wrap her legs around my hips. Her bare skin pressed against my torso, getting hotter the lower you went. I felt her toes dip into my pants and begin pushing them down. Her toes were cold, and I hissed at the contact. She took the opportunity to move her lips down my neck. She bit down harshly when I shoved her against a wall.

Somehow, she'd gotten my pants down my legs where they pooled at my ankles. I kicked them away, getting rid of the last obstacle. Before I could reach for my shaft, Rose had lifted herself up the wall and grasped my throbbing manhood in her soft hand. She lined the tip up with her dripping wet vagina and lowered herself onto me.

We both released a growl as her walls surrounded me. She slid on smoothly. Her head leaned back against the wall and released a contented sigh. I rested my forehead on her sternum, her labored breath caused her breasts to rub against my cheeks. I turned my head slightly and kissed her right breast.

"Do you want this?" I asked once more. Looking into her lilac eyes, I saw love and lust.

"Yes." She whispered and rocked her hips forward. I squeezed her ass and gently moved within her. She released a strangled moan and threw her head back again. I didn't want to muffle the beautiful sounds so I latched my lips onto her breast.

"Roza," I mumbled against her skin as she clawed at my back.

"Faster!" She demanded, and I was all too happy to comply. I felt at home as I worked between her thighs. Her moans and screams spurred me on. I unlatched my mouth from her breast and captured her lips. Her flawless skin was covered in a light layer of sweat that mixed with mine.

Our combined scent was magnificent. I thought her scent alone was the best I could get, but when you added mine it was perfect.

"So beautiful. So perfect." I breathed as she pulled away to release another moan.

"Dimitri!" She screamed. Her walls pulsed around my cock and another wave of heat flushed through me. I thrust into her once more before I stilled as my cock pulsated, emptying my hot cum inside her. I groaned as her walls milked me, prolonging my orgasm and hers.

"Roza." I gasped as I tried to catch my breath.

"Huh?" She said as she gasped for air.

"I love you," I said as I watched the lilac fade from her eyes.

"I love you, too, Dimitri." She said lightly kissing my lips. I felt my legs tremble from exhaustion. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, you just took a lot out of me."

"I felt that." She said smirking. I growled as she wiggled her hips. "Down, boy."

I narrowed my eyes at her. With my hands still gripping her ass, I pulled her away from the wall and moved us to the bed, my cock still buried inside her. I fell back onto the bed and groaned again as the bouncing movement caused her to move up and down my cock. She laughed.

"I know, I know. I did that to myself." I said, and she laughed again.

"Mmm…I think I like this better." She said wiggling her body, getting comfortable on top of me. I held back a groan and gripped her hips to keep her still. "What?"

"You're driving me crazy, woman." I moaned.

"I'm not doing anything." She said batting her eyelashes at me. She raised her hand and elongated a fingernail. "Where do you want your Mark?"

"Where do you think it should go?" I asked. The Mark proved that she'd Claimed me as her Pair and was meant to show other wolves that I belonged to the Alpha. Soon, I'd be Marking her, too.

"Well, if it didn't have to be visible at all times, I'd put it on your ass, but perhaps it should go below your Promise Mark?"

"I would like that," I said. I sat up, still inside her, and tied my hair back, allowing her to easily access my neck.

"This shouldn't hurt too much." She said moving her hand around the back of my neck. I felt a slight sting as she Marked me.

The Mark was two hearts connected at their tip as to make an hourglass shape. Her mark on me had a larger heart at the top, signaling that I belonged to an Alpha. My Mark on her would have the smaller heart on top, signaling she belonged to a member of her pack. While the Mark started as a laceration of the skin, it healed as a tattoo. Soon, the Mark would look like it was inked at the same time as my Promise Mark.

"Would you like yours in the same place?" I asked elongating a fingernail.

"No. I was thinking right below my collarbone." She said tracing a finger along her right shoulder.

"Are you sure?" I asked placing one hand on the small of her back. She nodded. I placed the tip of my nail against her perfect skin, placing my Mark. "You're mine."

"You're mine." She whispered back, lightly placing her lips on mine. She pushed me back on the bed and leaned over me. Her hair fell in thick curtains around my face, and I was trapped in her intense gaze. I watched as the lilac flooded her irises again. "And I'm going to show you just who you belong to."


	30. Chapter 30

**RPOV**

I woke to the feeling of Dimitri's arms pulling me closer to him. I could tell by the light that peaked around the curtains that it was around the time that I woke up. Dimitri would sleep another hour before he woke, but I needed to get up. My body felt a little sore, but it was pleasant, and I wanted to get a long run in before our morning session.

As I tried to remove myself from Dimitri's arms, they tightened and pulled me back down. I huffed and tried again to be met with the same results. The third try, I got a little further but was again pulled back, the arms tightening even more.

"Roza," Dimitri mumbled in his sleep, his arms tightening again. I tried again to gently remove myself from his embrace, but this time I was met with a low growl. "Mine."

I felt myself shiver at his possessive tone. My fingers came up and traced the Mark on my collarbone. I tried again to get up, but Dimitri's sleeping body had finally had enough of my movement, and he slung a large leg over my hip, successfully locking me in place. I released a sigh and settled back into his chest.

He released a contented sigh as I traced small patterns on the arm the was under my head. His nose nuzzled into the back of my neck, and he breathed deep.

"Roza?" Dimitri loosened his grip as he woke almost an hour early.

"Yes?" I asked closing my eyes, listening to the sleep causing his accent to thicken.

"Why haven't you gotten up yet? It's it a little odd for you to be sleeping in." He asked propping himself up on an elbow. He rubbed one eye while peering down at me with the other.

"I tried to get up, several times actually, but you were having none of it. You eventually got tired of me trying to get away from you and threw a leg over me." I said smiling up at him. The longer I spoke the more embarrassed he looked.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

"Don't be. I didn't want to wake you, else I would have gotten up." I said turning his chin to face me. "Would you like to join me for my morning run? Lissa won't be up for another two hours, so we've got a while."

"Are you sure you want to run? We could use those two hours for something more…productive." He said pulling my body to his. I could feel that he was fully awake now.

"What's more productive than exercising?" I asked tracing the Mark on the back of his neck.

"We'll still be exercising, just not running. I can personally attest to this form of exercise being much more fun than running." I shivered as his hand ran the length of my body and stopped at the back of my knee, hiking it up over his hip.

"As tempting as that sounds, Comrade, I'm still a little sore from last night, and I think running would do us both some good," I said laughing as he jutted out his lip. "I'll tell you what. You run an hour with me, and I'll let you join me in the shower."

Dimitri was out of bed throwing on clothes before I could turn my head to look at what he was doing.

"Well, don't just lay there. Get dressed, we're going running." He said pulling on shorts.

"Yes, sir," I said with a mock salute. I climbed out of bed, completely naked and reached for Dimitri's shirt that I'd pulled off of him yesterday. I was about to pull it over my head but paused as I saw Dimitri frozen in his spot. It was comical to see him with one raised foot, slipping on his shoe but he was still, staring at me. "See something you like?"

"Absolutely." He said tying his shoelace. I pulled his shirt over my head and moved toward the door. The shirt was far too large for me but only fell a couple inches past my butt. "That shirt looks really good on you."

"Does it? I think it hides my ass." I said looking over my shoulder at him with a wink. As I exited the room, I heard him growl.

I moved across the living area to my room. I quickly changed into my running gear. I brought my shoes into the living area to put on. Dimitri was standing impatiently by the door, bouncing on the balls of his feet. I could feel Dimitri's agitation grow as I took my time putting on my shoes. Before I stood, I leisurely pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I finally stood and moved to the door, nodding at Dimitri.

He impatiently took my hand and pulled me out the door, barely taking the time to lock it behind him. I laughed as he practically ran out of the building, dragging me behind him.

"You in a hurry to get somewhere?" I asked cheekily.

"The ward lines." He said quickly.

"You realize that the hour run will still be an hour no matter how fast you pull me out there," I said laughing.

"That may be true, but we only have two hours before Lissa wakes up and if we're spending an hour running, the rest of the time will be spent in transit and in the shower. I don't know about you, but I'd rather spend the majority of that time in the shower instead of in transit.

"I see your point," I said and subjected myself to his fast pace.

"Pick a direction," Dimitri said as he stopped on the well-worn path that marked the ward lines. Without another word, I started to the left at a reasonable pace, well, reasonable for me. I remembered the first time Dimitri ran with me in wolf form. He couldn't keep up with me then, but now I noticed he could. I also remember he could keep up with me in the woods on the way back from the caves.

"Have you been running without me?" I asked after a few moments of him keeping pace with me. Occasionally, I'd kick it up a notch, and he'd match my pace again.

"No, why?" He asked looking over at me with his eyebrows furrowed.

"I remember the day I met you. You had trouble keeping up with me then, but the last few times we've run together you've been able to match my pace every time I set one." I explained.

"I think it's a pack thing. Even the slowest pack member can run faster with their Alpha. You're a True Alpha and a True Hybrid, so it makes sense that I can run just as fast as you when running as a pack."

"Do you think we should test the theory with Lissa?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Maybe it would be better to wait until Mason or Eddie are part of your pack. Lissa doesn't really seem like the running type to me." Dimitri said amused.

"I suppose you're right," I said laughing. "How do you think I should approach them with a pack invitation?"

"How'd you approach Lissa with it?" He asked.

"I told her I needed to grow my pack and asked her to join. She asked if she could because she's a Moroi, but I explain she could and how the process works for a Lycanthrope to submit. She narrowed it down to me knowing her weaknesses and her pledging her loyalty to me. She told me that I already knew her weaknesses and she'd pledged her loyalty to me years ago, and I accepted her into the pack."

"So, you need to essentially do the same thing with Eddie and Mason."

"Yeah. It won't be so bad with them, but I don't know what I'm going to do with Christian." I said.

"What do you mean?" He asked me.

"I don't know if Christian will allow himself to be so exposed, especially with me, and I don't know if he'll pledge his loyalty, especially to me. This isn't something that Lissa can force him into. To join my pack, he has to mean it." I said. The next few minutes were run in silence.

"I think you'll find that Christian will be more will than you think." He said. "He cares about Liss and he cares about you, and if becoming part of this pack helps you both, he'll be more than willing to make the commitment."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked unconvinced.

"He may or may not have threatened me when he found out we were dating." He said with a shrug.

"Threatened you?" I growled feeling my protective Alpha nature rise.

"Threatened me as your boyfriend, not as your pack member. Basically, he told me if I hurt you, he'd hurt me." He explained making me feel a little better. I guess it made me a little happy that Christian would step up to the older brother role of threatening my boyfriend.

"I'm not sure that makes it better," I said.

"He cares about you, Roza. He'll join your pack."

"Our pack," I said with a smile.

"What?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"It's our pack now, Comrade," I said, and a smile spread wide across his face.

"It is, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Are you okay with that?"

"Absolutely. I've never wanted to have a pack before, but as long as you're my Pair, I'll always want a pack." He said grabbing my hand as it pumped back and forth to bring it up to his lips.

"I love you." I sighed happily.

"I love you, too." He declared, his smile still wide. While it isn't good form to run hand-in-hand, and it tends to slow you down, we ran the rest of our hour in silence, hand-in-hand. I'd almost forgotten my promise to Dimitri as he pulled me quickly back to the suite.

I felt a smile spread across my face. I was thinking Dimitri would be excited to act out his fantasy, and it seems like I was correct. I was actually surprised he didn't just pick me up and carry me in a sprint back to the suite. When we reached the door to our suite, he fumbled with the key. I took the moment to trace my finger alone my Mark on the back of his neck.

He released a moan as his body shivered under my touch. Two more tries and he got the key in the lock.

"Did you have trouble finding the hole, Comrade?" I whispered in his ear causing him to growl.

"I know right where the hole is. You've nothing to worry about." His voice was low and his accent thicker than usual. He picked me up as he pushed open the door to the suite. I quietly giggled as he carried me through to his bathroom.

He closed and locked both doors that led into the bathroom after he'd gently set me on the counter. Returning to me, he spread my legs and stepped between them. His lips were on mine in an instant and soon my shirt and sports bra were over my head and on the floor, joined quickly by his shirt. Since he was standing up, I got his shorts off easier than he got mine off. I could feel his frustration grow when he couldn't get me naked.

I pushed him back a step and jumped down off the counter to allow him to undress me himself. He kneeled in front of me, his lips in line with my belly button. He peppered my stomach with light kisses as his hands slowly pulled my shorts and underwear down my legs. He gently lifted one leg and then the other to fully rid me of my clothing.

"So perfect." He mumbled looking up at me before lifting me into the shower with him. He reached behind him to turn the water on and used his body to shield mine from the cold stream until it warmed. I took the time to trace each dip and divot of Dimitri's chest and stomach. The lower I went, the harder he became. When he became fully erect, his cock started twitching.

My eyes focused on his dancing member as my fingers lightly stroked him. I looked up as Dimitri hissed at the contact. His head was thrown back, his lips parted, and his breath labored. I grew more daring and wrapped my hand around his shaft and felt it pulse in my grasp.

"Teach me," I whispered. His eyes opened as he looked down at me. The lust in his eyes faded slightly as he tried to control it. He taught me without words. He wrapped his hand around the hand that circled his shaft. He tightened his grip causing me to tighten mine. He pulled my hand to the base of his shaft, applying more pressure at the base, and pushed my hand to the tip as he loosened his grip.

The movement was easy, up and down, back and forth. He picked up the pace, and I looked up at him. His eyes were trained on me, filled with love and lust. His gold gaze darkened when it met mine, and I could see the lilac reflected back at me. The hand he wasn't using to guide mine wound itself into my hair as he lowered his lips down to mine. I started moving my hand fast, not relying on him to set the pace, and he removed his hand altogether. As my hand came to the end of his shaft, I lightly rubbed my thumb over the tip. He groaned into my mouth, so I repeated my action.

I tightened my grip around him which caused his lips to leave mine as he threw his head back once again. The hand that wasn't wrapped around his cock, traced his abs as they rippled. I leaned forward and place light kisses on his chest, my hand moving even faster. I felt his cock harden even more in my hand, and as I rubbed my thumb over the tip once more, I heard Dimitri's panting turn into a groan.

"Roza." He breathed out as he pumped his cum all over hand and stomach. The liquid was warm and caused me to moan. He leaned on his forearms on the wall above my head, his forehead resting against mine. "That was fantastic."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." I giggled as he kissed me. "But now you need to clean me."

"Well, it's a good thing we're in the shower." He grinned and picked me up and pushed me back into the tiled wall.

"That it is." Was the last thing coherent thing out of my mouth for another half hour.


	31. Chapter 31

**DPOV**

I was having trouble keeping my hands off of her. My body longed for her. My inner wolf called out to hers. My eyes lingered on her. I thought she was all-consuming before, but after our Bonding, my mind couldn't focus on anything once she was in my line of sight.

She moved around my room, picking up her clothes from various parts of the room. Her hair was wet from our shower together, and she was wearing one of my button-ups. The shirt stopped shortly after her ass exposing the majority of her legs. She'd left the top three buttons undone nearly exposing her perfect breasts to me. It hung lower on one side, exposing the shoulder that had my Mark. The Mark had begun to fade to black, making it stand out more on her skin.

"Look what you've done." She said holding up her destroyed underwear. I took a moment to recall how the lacy red fabric looked on her and how it looked off her.

"I've no regrets," I said from my place in the doorway to the bathroom. Her eyes narrowed before they traveled the length of my body. I was only wearing my pants because she'd taken my shirt, though I will admit it looked better on her than it did on me.

"Try not to make a habit of it." She said before moving to the door.

"I'm not making any promises," I said with a smirk. I moved over to my closet to find a new shirt.

"Nice shirt, Rose." I heard Lissa say out in the living area.

"Thanks! I thought it might look better on me than on Dimitri." I rolled my eyes at her comment. "I saw that, Comrade!"

"I didn't do anything!" I called out.

"Don't lie to me." She growled, and I heard Lissa laugh. "How are you this morning, Princess?" I exited my room, finishing the last button on my shirt, to see Lissa glaring at an amused Rose.

"I'm really good. I figured out that my room is soundproof, but yours is not." I felt myself blush, but Rose's smile widened.

"That's really good to know." She said moving into her bedroom and closing the door behind her. I could feel her undress and tried my best to block the bond before I broke down her door.

"You better not be screwing with her," Lissa growled menacingly. I'd never heard such a protective tone from anyone, but I knew I didn't have anything to worry about.

"I'd never do something like that, Lissa. I love her. I'm crazy about her. You guys keep telling me she's never been this happy in her life, but you have to understand I haven't either. She completes me. I've submitted myself to her. I'm not just talking about in the pack. I'm hers to do with as she pleases. I've submitted my body, my heart, and my soul to that woman in there. I'd give my life for her if I had to." I said sitting across from her. She was still in her pajamas but somehow looked as regal as ever. She narrowed her eyes at me and studied me intently.

"Did you treat her well?" She asked quietly, and I felt myself smirk as I recalled last night.

"Absolutely." She rolled her eyes and got up from the couch.

"As long as you continue to treat her well, we won't have a problem." She said before entering her bedroom. I sat there staring at the door until I heard Rose's door open.

"Are you okay, Comrade?" She asked with a concerned expression.

"Never been better," I said with a smile. Since technically she wasn't a Guardian, she didn't have a uniform, but she'd dressed as close to as she could while maintaining her fashion sense. Her black skinny jeans hugged her legs closely and her cream top was flowy, yet somehow it showed each of her curves.

"Do you think it will pass?" She said twirling on her toes.

"It's much better than the normal Guardian attire. Perhaps you should send in new designs for our uniforms." I said taking my time to study her.

"It's your job to protect me, meaning you have to keep your eyes on my surroundings, not on me. Do you think you're going to be able to do your job?" She asked with a smirk.

"When we're outside this suite, I'll do my job. In this suite, however, as long as there're just three of us in here, I'll keep my eyes on you." I said and smirked as her eyes flashed lilac. "You might want to control that lest people think you're angry."

"Control what?" She asked cocking her head to one side.

"You're eyes turn lilac when you get turned on, or when you get angry. I'm sure other people have noticed, but you've most likely been angry at that time. Now you've got a new emotion to contend with." I said settling back into the couch.

"Like you, outside of this room, I'll be able to control myself." She said moving into the kitchen area. She opened the fridge and pulled out a smoothie. I watched the muscles in her throat pulse as she swallowed the liquid. I momentarily wondered how her mouth would feel wrapped around my cock and imagined her swallowing my essence, but my imagination was interrupted by Lissa's reappearance.

"I hate Mondays." She mumbled, and Rose chuckled at her comment.

"I know, Liss, but you'll get to see Christian again. I know we've kind of isolated you here since we got back so you didn't get to see him as much as you normally would, but we'll work out a schedule today." Rose said. "We'll use this week to start getting into a routine, a new normal."

"Thanks, Rose," Lissa said with a smile. "I still can't believe that we're living together. I just don't understand why they wouldn't let us do this earlier. It's not like we haven't asked numerous times before."

"Right!? This would never have happened if they'd just said yes the first time." Rose said shaking her head.

"Have you thought about who could be behind it?" Lissa asked quietly.

"All I know is that it has to be someone with either a copy of your key or access to a master key," Rose said looking over at me to see if I had anything to add.

"We can't rule out any of the Guardians other than those on ward duty that evening. Who would have access to your key to make a copy?" I asked.

"I usually keep my key in my purse which I take to class with me, but I don't keep an eye on it all the time. I'd notice if someone that wasn't one of my friends snooping in my bag, though." Lissa said.

"The problem is you have a lot of friends," Rose said with a sigh. "I caught a scent in the room. It was a perfume of sorts but it was too muddled by the blood for me to get a really good smell. We can probably narrow our search down to a female, which eliminates a majority of the Guardians, but not many of your friends."

"What about the threat against you, Rose?" Lissa asked looking at me for any new information.

"Alberta brought in someone that's removed the problem from within the school. He's going to be staying here until we can find the source of the problem. He also has people researching True Hybrids for us, so we know what to expect with Rose as we go from here."

"Do you think they could be the same person?" Lissa asked nervously. "I mean, if this person wants me, they're going to have a hard time getting to me because of you. The best way to get to me is to get rid of you."

"I never thought of that," I mumbled. "I'm not saying that is what's going on, but we'll take it into consideration. It's best we don't think of them as the same person just in case it's not. We don't want a preconceived notion to throw off our judgments when we gain new information."

Both Rose and Lissa nodded but didn't say anything. Lissa looked worried from her spot at the breakfast bar, and Rose looked a little pissed off. I figured she was pissed off that someone would threaten Lissa, but I was pissed off that someone would threaten my Alpha.

"Are you two ready to go get breakfast?" I asked breaking the tense silence.

"Yes!" Rose exclaimed. "I'm starving!"

"What else is new?" Lissa muttered under her breath.

"Watching it, Princess. I know where you sleep." Rose said narrowing her eyes as she stood by the door waiting for the two of us.

"I would say I know where you sleep, but it seems like it might change," Lissa said looking over at me with a smirk.

"Will that be okay, Liss?" Rose asked hesitantly. I know Lissa's answer didn't really have any merit to Rose's decision to keep me as her Pair, but she wanted her best friend's approval.

"I think it'll be perfect. I'll just make sure that I'm in my room when you two are in yours." She said chuckling. I felt myself blush, but Rose wore her smirk with pride. Lissa walked out of the suite first, Rose following close behind her, but I lingered a moment to shut and lock the door behind us.

Rose and Lissa had reached the stairwell when I turned around. I quickly followed trying to keep them in my sight without being right on top of them. Rose's demeanor was relaxed and carefree as she walked beside Lissa seemingly immersed in the conversion. I could tell Rose was on full alert, though. I was impressed that Rose could act like herself while still being completely aware of her entire surroundings.

Taking inventory of my surrounding without looking around, I found it easier than it had been in the past. Without any prompting on my part, I became extremely aware of Rose's surroundings. I could feel her body, and I could feel what she felt.

 _"Dimitri! Stop! I cannot have you reading my body while we're out in public."_ Rose's voice yelled at me, and I caught her glare as she looked at me over her shoulder.

 _"I'm sorry. I didn't know I could do that."_ I gave her an apologetic look.

 _"Well, now that you know you can, don't."_ She replied.

 _"I won't unless I need to."_

 _"In what situation would you need to?"_

 _"If you happen to get yourself into trouble and I need to know if you're alright, or if I get myself in trouble and need to let you know I'm alright,"_ I told her, and I mentally heard her sigh.

 _"If it isn't absolutely necessary and we're in public, please keep your body to yourself, or you will end up either in trouble or on your back, maybe both."_ I released a low growl, and she threw a dazzling smile over her shoulder.

 _"Careful, Roza. I've lost a lot of my self-control now that I carry your Mark."_

 _"That's when you lost your self-control? When I Marked you?"_

 _"It might have been a little before then…"_ I grumbled. I heard her laugh from in front of me, but she didn't respond. I was again impressed to see that Rose had kept up her conversation with Lissa while talking with me. This woman was perfect.

"Hey, Rose!" I heard a voice say and felt Rose tense. "That's a nice tattoo. What's it mean?"

"You mean you don't know, Jesse?" Came another voice. There were two boys approaching Rose and Lissa. Lissa moved slightly behind Rose, and Rose straightened. I knew from her body posture that these boys meant to cause trouble, but I also knew I couldn't step in until they made a threat. Regardless, I moved closer.

"Do you know what it means?" The blond, Jesse, asked.

"It means that she's someone's bitch. It's a way for the dogs to mark their territory. There's another mutt running around with a matching tattoo, claiming that he's going to be hers and only hers."

"That's amusing. I'm surprised it took you this long to be claimed, Rose. You always did like to whore yourself out."

"Listen, Zeklos," Rose growled so viciously the two boys took a step back. "I finally found a real Alpha. I'm a pack leader now. My aggression has been all sorts of messed up, so if I were you, I'd back off." I couldn't see her eyes, but I imagined them glowing lilac. From the frightened expression they wore, my imagination was correct.

"Careful, Rose. I've got connections. You could be mine in a heartbeat." Jesse said quietly, leaning in close to Rose causing me to growl possessively. The Moroi obviously didn't hear me because he continued to get closer to Rose's face. "I'll have you soon enough, and there's nothing your…mate…can do about it."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Mr. Zeklos," I said coming up behind Rose. "Not only am I Rose's Guardian and her 'mate,' I'm also a member of her pack, and you just threatened my Alpha."

When I mentioned a threat to our Alpha, Lissa moved from behind her and stood slightly in front of her, growling low, which was extremely out of character for the dainty princess. Rose by herself was powerful and commanding, but with the two of us backing her, the two Moroi boys scurried away with their metaphorical tails between their legs.

"You guys didn't have to do that. I could have handled them" Rose said with a thankful smile on her face.

"We know you could have," Lissa said, "but we're your pack, and you're our Alpha. We're always going to be here for you."

"Thanks, Liss. Now, let's go. I'm hungry, and I've got a few more pack members we need to initiate."


	32. Chapter 32

**RPOV**

We entered the cafeteria only to be greeted by the succulent smell of bacon. I wasn't kidding when I said I was starving. Dimitri had really taken a lot out of me, of course, I'd taken a lot out of him, too.

I saw Eddie and Mason walking over to us.

"Whatever you have to say, save it for until after I eat," I said turning to go get food. I heard them both chuckle, but they left me alone.

I felt Dimitri a few feet behind me observing my actions and my surroundings, but I was already on top of all that. This whole situation was getting more and more complicated. It was my job as an Alpha to protect my pack. Guarding Lissa was just not a part of that, but Dimitri is part of my pack, too, but it's his actual job to protect me. I knew my pack members would always protect me, but I couldn't let them put themselves in harm's way just for me.

"That was our pledge, Roza," Dimitri whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver as his breath tickled my skin. "We pledged our loyalty to you. That includes laying down our lives for you, should it come to that. Even if I wasn't a member of your pack, I'd put my life on the line for you. I love you, and I know Lissa does, too. Eddie and Mason aren't members of your pack yet, but you know they'll give their lives for yours."

"You're my pack, Dimitri. I can't let you do that." This was the hard part about being Alpha. You are tasked to protect your pack members, but they are also tasked to protect you. You protect each other, but if one of you gets hurt, you blame yourself. "I couldn't live with myself if I let something happen to you."

"We're Paired now, my love. It will be hard for one of us to live without the other." He wrapped an arm around my waist and led me through the food line, piling my tray high with food.

"I'm going to try my hardest to keep you all safe." I declared as he walked beside me to our table. I didn't know how he was going to go about meal times. He had been taking his meal with us, but Guardians usually skip meals when they're on duty. However, Dimitri will always be on duty.

"Just as we are going to try our hardest to keep you safe, Roza." He said placing a kiss on my forehead when I sat down next to Lissa. He set my tray in front of me. "Stay here, don't leave."

I watched him return to the food line and load his tray with food also. I waited for the rest of our group to join us. Eddie and Mason were also going through the food line, but I didn't know where Christian was.

"Where's Sparky?" I asked Lissa.

"He's seeing the feeders. He's been worried since we've been back and neglecting his health." Lissa said rolling her eyes. "I mean, I understand that I was in danger, but when we got back here, I wasn't in danger anymore."

"Yes, but I couldn't see you because this one and the Russian kept you locked in your suite." Christian interrupted sitting next to Lissa and placing a loving kiss on her temple.

"They were the reason I wasn't in danger anymore, babe," Lissa said leaning over and planting a kiss on his lips. I felt my face scrunch up a little, but not nearly as much as it had before I found my Pair. Dimitri took his spot beside me, and Eddie and Mason sat across from each other on either side of Lissa and me.

"So, what developments have been made since we got back?" Eddie asked after Lissa and Christian had come up for air.

"Dimitri is now guarding Rose." Lissa provided.

"I fail to see how _that_ is the most important information," I said shaking my head. Dimitri chuckled beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist but continued eating.

"What _is_ the most important information?" Mason asked around a mouthful of food.

"The Strigoi are taking orders from an unknown Moroi. There's someone out there that wants me dead, we just don't know why."

"Okay, wow. I agree that is more important information." Christian said earning him a light slap from Lissa. "But Dimitri being your Guardian is right up there, too."

"How did you manage that, by the way?" Mason asked, glaring at Dimitri's hand as it rested on my hip. Dimitri placed his fork down and growled low. Mason's glare lightened but didn't disappear completely.

"The queen ordered it," I said with a shrug. "She apparently has an interest in my life."

"Interesting. Anything else?" Eddie asked since Mason and Dimitri were locking in a glaring contest.

"Lissa joined my pack," I stated with pride and watched as Lissa sat up straighter.

"You did what?" Christian asked from beside her.

"It wasn't like I wasn't really a part of her pack in the first place. She just accepted me. It's a surreal feeling, being connected to someone." Lissa said with a smile. I knew what she meant. When Dimitri submitted to me, it was like I gained another part of me, one I didn't know I was missing.

"I didn't know a non-Lycanthrope can join a pack," Mason said.

"Normally they can't, but since I'm not a normal Lycanthrope, my pack doesn't follow the normal rules," I said with a smirk.

"So, anyone could join your pack?" Mason asked sitting up straighter. I felt Dimitri tense beside me, and I placed my hand lightly on his thigh and subtly moved my blouse a little to the side so he could see his Mark on me. I don't know if it was my hand or the Mark, but he calmed immediately.

"Essentially. If one was to join my pack, they'd have to expose their weaknesses to me and pledge their loyalty, and then it's up to me to accept them or not." I explained. "Which leads me to ask: would you guys join my pack?"

"You want us to join your pack?" Christian asked looking a little hesitant.

"Yes. Not only do I want you as my pack members, but I'm stronger when I have a pack. As a result, my pack is stronger when I'm stronger." I told them, trying to gauge their reactions. Mason looked ready to jump in head first, but Eddie and Christian looked more hesitant to submit.

"What do I have to do?" Mason asked. Dimitri's inner wolf reared its head at Mason's eagerness.

"I just have to accept you. You and Eddie I've known for forever, like Lissa, and I know I have your loyalty. So, it's just up to me to accept, but I don't want to accept unless you want to." I responded to him, but I was mainly looking at Christian.

"I accept," Mason said with a definite nod. I looked to Eddie next and watched him make his decision.

"I accept." He said looking me in the eye.

"Christian?" Lissa asked quietly.

"What would I have to do? You haven't known me forever like the three of them, and you don't know all my weaknesses…but you have my loyalty."

"That's what I need most. I know a few of your weaknesses, the rest I can learn later, and we can work as a pack to counter all of our weaknesses." I told him.

"Then I accept," Christian said sitting up straighter. Lissa's face lit up at his acceptance. If those two are going to be in my pack, I'm going to have to learn how to block emotions and feelings from other pack members.

Similar to what I did with Lissa yesterday, I summoned my Alpha power and accepted the three of them into my pack. I felt them immediately.

"Do your eyes usually do that?" Mason asked as I felt his fascination grow.

"The turning purple thing? Yes." Dimitri answered. "It usually happens during strong emotions or when she goes Alpha."

"Which emotions?" Eddie asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Mostly anger," Dimitri responded.

"Mostly?" Christian said with a smirk. I glared at him, and he shrank back.

"Yes. Mostly." I said calmly, ending any further discussion of the color of my eyes.

"Anyway…welcome to the pack, guys," Lissa said chipperly.

"I don't really feel any different," Eddie said looking over himself as if there would have been some physical change.

"You won't until you start working out or fighting. The change mostly happens mentally. You'll be able to feel me in a sense, but not as strong as I'll be able to sense you." I explained. "I'm able to communicate with you, and you with me, but you have to try hard to communicate with each other."

"What does that mean? To be able to feel you?" Christian asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry, Sparky, it's nothing dirty. You'll be able to sense if I'm anxious or angry, things like that. It's a safety precaution of being a Beta, knowing when your Alpha is in trouble. Mason and Eddie, your strength with grow. You'll be able to run faster, hit harder, jump higher, be all-around better. Christian, your magic with grow as well as your endurance. Just know, that when you exert yourself, you're sharing power with me and the rest of the pack. The more power you use in a short period of time, the sooner I have to hunt."

"Hunt?" Christian asked, Eddie and Mason shared his confusion.

"I hunt Strigoi for their blood. It's what gives me strength, and in turn, it's what gives you strength. I don't know what will happen if you guys have Strigoi blood, but Dimitri and I gain strength from it. I'm not sure how I feel about putting you guys in danger just to figure out how you react to the blood, especially you, Liss."

"I'm not sure I want to be in that situation, anyway," Lissa said looking grateful.

"We may not have a choice after too long," Eddie said gesturing toward himself and Mason. "We'll find out eventually."

"I wouldn't mind doing a little experimenting," Christian said ignoring Lissa's horrified expression.

"We'll see," I said, and Dimitri nodded in agreeance. Christian looked a little put out but didn't get the chance to voice his counter before the air shifted. I felt Dimitri tense beside me, and all the males at the table growled low.

"Who's that?" Lissa whispered nodding toward the door over my shoulder. I turned around and caught sight of a gorgeous man. He wasn't the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen, that honor belonged to the sexy Russian beside me, but he wasn't too bad.

"I don't know," I said. "I can, however, tell that he is an Alpha, one without a pack, and he's strong." The man had glanced around the room and spotted our table and began to make his way over to us.

"Princess Dragomir." The man said in a southern drawl. "I'm your new Guardian. Abe sent me."

"May I ask your name?" Lissa said with a royal air.

"I'm Derek Penning." He said with a smile. His teeth were bright white, his eye bright blue as he took in Lissa's Moroi body. I tensed as I felt his Alpha rise, and his eyes flicked down to mine and flashed bright green, a distinct contrast to his normal icy blue. "And who might this lovely creature be?"

"This is my primary guardian and Alpha, Rose Hathaway," Lissa said curtly.

"Your Alpha?" Derek asked looking up at Lissa. "You're Moroi, you can't have an Alpha."

"Rose is not a normal Alpha. She's a True Hybrid and a True Alpha." Lissa stated narrowing her eyes, not taking kindly to Derek's tone.

"Ah, so you're the True Hybrid," Derek said looking back down at me, his eyes flashing green again. Dimitri shifted in his seat beside me and tightened his arm around my waist. Derek took a step back when my eyes flashed lilac at Dimitri's display of possession. "The Great White Wolf." He muttered in awe.

"That's what people call me," I said studying him. His eyes raked over my body, making me feel dirty, but lingered on Dimitri's Mark.

"I apologize, ma'am. I didn't know you were Claimed." He said backing away and looking down. The only other Alpha I'd seen back down so quickly to me was Dimitri, of course, they were the only two Alphas I'd had encounters with.

"It's okay. It was an honest mistake." I said gently. His eyes moved back up to mine, but only briefly to give me a small smile. "So, Abe sent you?"

"Yes. After Pavel, I'm the best Guardian he has." Derek said a little sheepishly. His earlier Alpha nature disappeared. "I'm a few months away from being able to beat Pavel, though."

"How old are you?" Dimitri asked in a tense tone. Despite Derek's less aggressive demeanor, Dimitri was still hesitant to let his guard down, especially around me. In fact, all the males at the table had become extremely possessive. Christian's possessiveness was more for Lissa than for me, but it was still there. Mason and Eddie looked like they would accept Derek as long as I did, but Dimitri was making sure his Claim was stated.

"Twenty-eight," Derek responded. "I know that's young, but I work hard and train every day. I won't let anything happen to the Princess."

"No offense to you, Lissa, but I'm not worried about the Princess," Dimitri said studying Derek further. "My concern lies with Roza. You may be a wonderful Guardian, but I don't know you, and you'll be working closely with _my_ Roza. How about you sit, and we'll have a nice, long chat."

I turned with widened eyes to look at Dimitri, but his usually brown eyes gained more gold as he continued to study Derek. I heard Derek gulp loudly behind me and hesitate, but he moved to sit next to Mason, the furthest seat away from Dimitri. Dimitri took the time that he was moving to pull me closer, to where I was almost sitting in his lap. I'm sure my eyes were lilac, and Dimitri placing his hand on my inner thigh wasn't helping anything.

 _"Take a deep breath, Comrade,"_ I told him rubbing calming circles into the back of his hand. I felt his inner wolf relax slightly as he gave me a loving look. He quickly returned his eyes to Derek, though his inner wolf stayed calm, so I guess that was a plus.

"What do you want to know?"


	33. Chapter 33

**DPOV**

First impression: I didn't like this guy.

Next impression: At least he knows who the real Alpha is.

Subsequent impressions: I can probably live with this guy.

Well, unless I threw a fit, I'd have to live with this guy. Derek, Rose, and I had a meeting with Alberta later to discuss the living arrangements. If I had it my way, Rose would be rooming with me and Derek would get her old room. I had a feeling that Rose would be staying with me anyway, regardless of what Alberta had to say.

Through intense interrogations, I discovered that Derek and I had more in common than I'd care to admit. Like most Lycanthrope I've met, Derek was born Lycanthrope, not bitten. He was born and raised in a small town in Arkansas where he was taught to be a Guardian by his father, a Lycanthrope, and a few Guardians that lived in the area with their Moroi. When he was sixteen, he was sent to an academy to train and graduate. He, too, had lost a charge early in his guarding career. Abe took him in when no other Moroi would accept him as a Guardian. He's been working for Abe the past four years.

"Abe said there was no one he'd trust more with Rose's life than me, other than you and Pavel, of course," Derek said uneasily.

"I don't need him to look after me," Rose said rolling her eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

"We know that, Roza," I said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. I wanted to make it crystal clear that Roza and I were Paired. Derek seemed to get the message right away, but that didn't stop me from proving the point. "We're just trying to help, that's all."

"I know the game you're trying to play, Comrade, and it won't work." She said crossing her arms over her chest. The movement caused her already large breasts to become accentuated, and I couldn't stop my gaze from lowering to them. I tried to keep myself under control, but I was having a hard time.

"What game?" I asked after Rose's smirk broke my lustful gaze.

"You're trying to find some explanation that I'll accept so you don't have to hear me telling you over and over again that I can protect myself. For your benefit, I'll stop telling you, but keep in mind that I'm more than qualified to protect myself." Roza huffed. Classes were about to begin so she finished her food quickly.

"I understand, my love," I said feeling like I'd won something, but deep down, I knew I hadn't really. "Is there anything else we should know about you, Derek?"

"I've got a thing for country." He responded sheepishly. "I know it's kind of stereotypical, me being from Arkansas and all, but country, you know, cowboys and wide-open pastures, that's my passion. If I wasn't a Guardian, I'd own a large cattle farm."

"You two will be the best of friends," Rose said with a large grin looking up at me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at Derek's confused expression, effectively dropping the topic, for now.

Truth be told, I was a little excited to have someone that shared a similar interest to me. Rose had teased me about my obsession with the Old West, as had Ivan, and I've never really met anyone else that I could connect with in that way. Perhaps Derek wouldn't be such a bad addition to the pack.

Wait.

 _"You aren't considering letting him into the pack, are you?"_ I asked Rose hurriedly.

 _"No. First of all, I don't really know him. I know the surface layer of him, not the things he keeps hidden. Second, I don't want my pack to get too big while I'm still in school, that would make it a lot more difficult to go hunting."_ Rose responded giving my leg a reassuring pat.

 _"Okay, good,"_ I told her. _"I don't trust him, yet, especially not with you."_

 _"You worry too much, Comrade."_ She said rolling her eyes.

 _"I'm pretty sure I've told you before, it's my job to worry about you."_

"Will you guys stop that?" Lissa asked with a huff.

"Stop what?" Eddie asked.

"Rose and Dimitri are communicating with each other via their bond," Lissa answered.

"Their bond?" Mason asked.

"Yeah, since they're Paired, they have a special bond that allows them to communicate easily," Derek answered ignoring Rose's motions to stay quiet.

"How could you tell?" Eddie asked Lissa.

"I can't tell from Rose, she's gotten good at hiding it, but Dimitri's eyes turn his wolf's shade of gold." Well, that's news to me.

"They do?" I asked looking toward Roza.

"Maybe a little." She said holding her index finger and thumb close together.

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Probably not. It's not that noticeable, and I think it's _hot_." Her hand worked its way up my chest, and I fought the growl that was building up in my chest.

"Roza," I muttered warningly.

"I know, I know." She said with a chuckle. The bell for classes rang just then. We all stood from the table as I grabbed mine and Rose's tray to discard near the door. Rose waved Eddie and Mason off to their theory class while she walked with Lissa. Derek and I hung back, following at a distance.

"She seems like a good Alpha," Derek said beside me, his eyes focused on Lissa and her surroundings. My eyes stayed on Rose, specifically her ass, as she linked arms with Lissa and skipped through the halls.

"She's better than any Alpha I've ever seen or heard of. She hasn't really had a chance to prove herself as an Alpha, but I know what she's capable of. She's truly one of a kind." Rose chose that moment to look over her shoulder and give me a wink, drawing my eyes to face.

"You were an Alpha before you submitted to her," Derek stated. "Why did you?"

"I was an Alpha, but I was meant to be in her pack," I said with a faint smile. "I still have to ability to be an Alpha, in a sense, but my loyalty lies with her. I'd follow her anywhere."

"I'd like to," Derek said slowly. I moved my gaze from Roza to the man beside me.

"You'd like to what?" I didn't mean for the question to sound so aggressive, but that's how it came out.

"I'd like to follow her anywhere. I want to be part of the pack." Derek said looking me in the eye. I may be Paired with an Alpha, but we were on the same level.

"You can't join this pack until Rose is graduated," I told him. It wasn't my place to say he couldn't join the pack altogether, but I could prevent him from talking to Rose about it until she graduated and had a way to hunt more often. As it is, she'd probably have to hunt ever two weeks.

"Why not?" He asked looking offended.

"She can't manage a large pack quite yet, especially in the middle of nowhere. She needs more resources. Resources we don't have here, probably won't have in the States."

"Where would she have the resources?" He asked, turning his attention back to Lissa and Rose as they entered their classroom.

"Russia," I answered simply joining the two of them, effectively cutting off the conversation as class was about to start. Derek took up position beside the door, and I joined Rose at the back of the classroom.

 _"You okay, Comrade?"_ She asked, continuing her assessment of the classroom.

 _"Derek is wanting to join the pack already,"_ I told her.

 _"Already!? That was quick. What did you tell him?"_ She asked giving me a side glance.

 _"I told him he couldn't join until you were graduated and set up somewhere with the proper resources."_

 _"Where would that be?"_

 _"Russia. There is a massive population of Strigoi and the large majority of the Pricolici population are there. I don't want you to have to go too far when you need blood."_

 _"Larger cities would have a large enough population for me to survive."_ She told me, but I could tell that she was liking the idea of going to Russia.

 _"Survive, yes, but not thrive. To keep up your strength, and ours, you'll need more blood than just enough to survive."_ I said with a smirk.

 _"You just want to take me home, Comrade."_ She said with a similar smirk.

 _"I wouldn't object if we set up in Baia,"_ I said with a shrug. _"I know my mother wouldn't either."_

 _"Are they going to like me?"_ She asked hesitantly.

 _"My family? Absolutely. They're going to love you, I know for a fact that my Babushka already adores you."_

 _"She does? She hasn't even met me before."_ Her shock was palpable through the bond.

 _"I met her in a dream yesterday. She gave me some advice and told me to tell you that you'll be more loved by my family than I will."_

 _"That's a lot of pressure. Are they all Lycanthrope?"_

 _"Babushka is, but my mother isn't. My youngest sister, Viktoria, and my oldest sister, Karolina, are Lycanthrope. My second oldest sister, Sonja, isn't, and she can be a little bitter about that."_

 _"What about your father?"_ I knew she meant to question to be harmless, but I couldn't help the low growl that escaped my chest. I felt her tense beside me and the noise drew the attention of a few Moroi at the back of the classroom.

 _"He isn't in the picture anymore. He was a Moroi, but since my mother wasn't a Lycanthrope, I didn't get the privilege of being a True Hybrid."_

 _"What happened to him?"_ She asked softly.

 _"He wasn't a good man. I believe at some point he loved my mother, but his love turned to violence the more he drank, and he drank constantly. He enjoyed beating my mother. Eventually, I took matters into my own hands. I'm not proud of what I did, but at the time, I was going through my first Shift."_ I felt her hand brush against mine as they hung loosely at my sides.

 _"You don't have to tell me the rest, Dimitri. I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories."_

 _"It's okay, Roza. I want you to know. I need you to know. I attacked him. I almost killed him, but Babushka stopped me before I got that far."_

 _"If this was your first Shift, you had to be fifteen? Sixteen?"_

 _"Thirteen. Another genetic predisposition, other than the brown fur, is Shifting earlier. It does, however, give us more of a chance to gain control of our inner wolves."_

 _"Did he at least stay away after that?"_ She asked, her inner wolf getting a little anxious.

 _"Yes. Babushka called Abe, and he made sure that he never came back."_

 _"Abe Mazur?"_ She asked turning to me with furrowed eyebrows. I only nodded as a response. Her look turned contemplative. _"Something about that man seems familiar."_

I looked down at her, waiting for her to figure it out, but if she did, she stayed silent.

 _"What did Abe do to him?"_ She asked finally.

 _"I'm not really sure. I just know that he made Randall leave us alone, though we occasionally got money from him, I assumed child support."_ I stated.

 _"You never wanted to know what Abe did to him to make him stay gone?"_ She asked looking up at me with mischief in her eyes. I could really see how much she got from Abe, nature winning over nurture this time.

 _"I learned long before this incident that I didn't want to know the inner happenings of Abe Mazur's business. I'm sure if you ask him, he'll be evasive about it, but knowing you, you'll be able to weasel any information out of him that you want."_ Her face adopted a smirk. I wasn't sure if I meant that as a compliment, but she sure took it as one.

 _"When are we going to train?"_ She asked after a few minutes of boring lecture. _"We'll obviously go in the mornings before Lissa is awake, but that's not enough activity for me. I'll be bouncing off the wall otherwise."_

 _"I know how you feel, though I know you have more energy than I do. I'm sure we can find other ways to work out."_ I responded in an innocent enough tone, but I felt her inner wolf stir, which in turn caused mine to stir.

 _"I thought we agreed that outside the suite, we'd be professional."_ She growled in my mind. I only smirked as a response because the bell to switch classes was ringing.

The rest of the school day passed in the same vein. Rose and I talked about anything and everything. There was nothing that I wanted to hide from her, nothing I felt I needed to hide from her, and she shared everything with me. The more I learned about her, the stronger I felt our bond growing. I know the bond we'd formed was mainly physical, but with her, it was something else.

Normally, the Pairing of wolves was due to sexual attraction and who would provide offspring. The Beta didn't always have a choice in the Pairing. The best Alpha Pairs were consensual and had love as the basis of their Pairing. I'd heard stories about my own grandmother's Pairing and how strong a bond it was. My mother was the only thing that kept Babushka going after her Pair was slain by another, younger, Alpha.

Perhaps it was just in my blood to form a strong Pair, but I think it has more to do with Roza and me. She was both my equal and my opposite. We worked well together and complimented each other perfectly.

She was meant to be mine forever, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that we were overlooking something. The worry stayed in the pit of my stomach and never ventured far despite Roza's presence.

Something was coming, I just didn't know what it was.


	34. Chapter 34

**RPOV**

Dimitri's anxiety had been a constant hum in my life for the past three weeks. At first, I thought it was Derek's presence in the suite and around me, but when the anxiety persisted after they started getting along, I knew something was wrong. However, every time I asked him what was bothering him, he'd say it was nothing. He even had the gall to tell me that he wasn't bothered by anything like I couldn't feel what he was feeling.

I knew the rest of the pack couldn't sense his ever-present anxiety, it was just me. The day after Derek joined us we fell into a comfortable routine. Dimitri and I would wake in the morning, me getting a little more sleep than I was used to, and Dimitri getting less. We'd run a few circuits around campus before sparring. Sometimes we would spar in wolf form in the clearing in the woods, but other times we'd be in the gym in our human forms.

My favorite sparring was in the clearing when we started out human and then Shifted. Dimitri was getting better; he could almost land a hit on me. After sparring we'd head back to the suite where Derek would be awake, but Lissa wouldn't. The first few days with Derek there, we'd try to keep as quiet as possible when we'd shower, but after a while, we stopped trying. I knew Dimitri didn't mind because he liked to remind Derek that we were Paired, not that I really minded, either.

When Lissa would wake up and get ready, we'd all head to the cafeteria to have breakfast. I was allowed to get food with Lissa, but Dimitri would be by my side and wouldn't get food for himself until I was seated at the table with Eddie and Mason. Eddie and Mason wouldn't go get food until Dimitri came back with his.

I tried to get them to stop being so protective, but they just looked at each other and laughed at me before turning back to their routine. Christian had usually joined us by then and typically joined Eddie and Mason in the food line. Only when all of my pack was at the table did Derek go and get food. We used breakfast as an opportunity for the pack to ask me questions and for us to get to know Derek and Dimitri more.

Derek was much more open with my pack than Dimitri was, but that was to be expected. Dimitri was already part of my pack, but Derek was not. I could feel Derek's jealousy when I talked with Dimitri through our bond. I don't know if he was jealous of Dimitri because he was in my pack or because he was my Pair.

Lunch went much the same as breakfast except that Dimitri was much more alert due to the increased presence of other people. Both Lissa and Christian went to the feeders during lunch and I could tell then they took their first pull of blood, even without being in the same room. While it did not give me the same power that Strigoi or Pricolici blood did, their feeding did provide me a little energy.

Derek took over primary guarding while Dimitri and I spend another couple of hours training. Usually, Christian and Lissa would just sit in the library studying, or hang out until Dimitri and I got back to the suite. Much like Dimitri and I, Christian and Lissa had become a lot more comfortable spending time together while we're in the suite. Thankfully, Lissa's room is soundproofed, so we don't hear as much.

The first time it happened, Derek looked extremely uncomfortably at Dimitri and I before we smirked at him and disappeared into Dimitri's room. We'd offered Derek the spare room that I wouldn't be using, but he thought it best to live a little further down the hall. I left all of my things in my room, but I lived with Dimitri in his.

Depending on the night and how everyone is feeling, we have dinner in the suite. Dimitri was teaching Lissa and me how to cook a decent meal. Lissa was picking up on everything wonderfully; I, however, was not as skilled in the kitchen as I had hoped. We'd finish the night either watching tv or lounging in bed.

Derek was fitting in nicely with our little group. He was young enough to still know what it's like but old enough for us to know he was more Guardian than classmate. Derek hadn't approached me about joining our pack, but I knew he still wanted to. I would have accepted Derek into my pack, but with one other Alpha already, I was starting to feel the effects of having a pack on my overall power. I'd need to hunt soon.

In fact, we, Dimitri and I, were going hunting today. The Equinox Dance was tomorrow night and I didn't want the threat of going wolf hanging over my head. Dimitri's ever-present anxiety started growing a few days ago and continued to grow as the night of the dance approached.

"Something doesn't feel right about this dance, Roza." He said pulling me tightly against him. We were lying in bed, relaxing before a full day of hunting. He buried his nose in my hair and inhaled deeply. I'd noticed my scent changing. I'd started to gain more of a woodsy smell, like pine. It took me a few days to realize that my scent was mixing with Dimitri's to become my natural scent. Unsurprisingly, Dimitri's scent started to gain a floral scent.

"You worry too much, Comrade," I said placing a hand on his bare chest. "It's just a dance. Nothing bad is going to happen."

"You know, in movies, when people say, 'Nothing bad is going to happen,' bad things happen," Dimitri said with a humorless chuckle.

"We aren't in a movie, Comrade," I responded.

"I know that, but I just can't shake this feeling that something bad is waiting for us just around the corner, and it's going to come for us at this dance." He silenced any response I might have had with a light kiss on my neck, followed by another and another. "I'm not going to lose you."

His grip tightened around my waist, pressing his firm body against mine until I could feel every ridge of his muscles. My head tilted back allowing his lips to freely roam my neck and my chest. One hand glided up my back and tangled itself in my hair, pulling down gently and causing my head to fall back even more.

His tongue traced my collarbone before he nipped gently at my flesh. I could feel his hard shaft as it dug into my hip. He rocked his hips slightly, seeking the friction he craved. I felt a devious smirk spread across my face and let my nails elongate.

I lightly drug my claws down his spine, reveling in the feeling of his skin as it bubbled under my touch. His grip on me tightened yet again. He began to roll me on my back, but before he placed his body over mine, I slipped quickly from under him. I laughed as he stared bewildered at the sheets beneath him.

By the time he figured out I wasn't in the bed anymore, I was already pulling on sweatpants and a baggy hoodie. I didn't bother with undergarments because I'd be taking them off soon enough.

"Are you coming?" I asked from the doorway. Dimitri was still sitting in bed looking shocked. He looked up at my question and seemed to fully understand again.

"Sadly, not as much as I would like to be." He mumbled making his way out of bed. He slipped on a pair of shorts and a shirt before following me out of the suite, out of the dorms, and into the woods.

I watched as he stripped his shirt off, but he paused when his hands reached the waistband of his shorts. I didn't notice until then that I was leering.

"Do you want something?" He asked with a smirk.

"I want you to finish undressing and Shift," I said sweetly while batting my eyelashes.

"Your wish is my command." He said with a flourished bow, yet somehow managed to pull his shorts off and Shift all in the same move. _"Are you satisfied now?"_

"Not yet," I said smiling. I decided to start by pulling off my pants. I felt Dimitri's eyes follow the waistband of my pants as they unveiled more of my skin. As the fabric pooled at my feet, I kicked it away and started on my hoodie.

The growl that escaped Dimitri's chest caused me to smirk. The hoodie was about to cover my face when I felt Dimitri move closer to me. I didn't think much of it and continued to pull the hoodie over my head, blocking my view of Dimitri for a few seconds. In those few seconds, Dimitri's tongue glided over my stomach. I felt my knees go weak as he continued over my breasts.

 _"I'm sure I could satisfy you."_ His gruff voice came through in a whisper. I released an embarrassing loud moan as I pushed his giant head away. I stepped closer to him, staring him down.

Dimitri had become a lot more brash since we Paired, but he knew when to back down. He bowed his head down to my level, allowing me to scratch behind his ear. Involuntarily, Dimitri's head cocked to the side as I continued to scratch behind his ear. His eyes closed in bliss, and he released an un-Alpha-like whimper.

"I could satisfy you, too, Comrade," I whisper in his ear causing it to twitch. As I backed away, he released another growl. I Shifted in front of him and shook out my white fur.

 _"That wasn't nice, Roza."_ He growled. I simply smirked at him and turned toward the ward line. The smell that came from the ward lines had the smell of magic. Magic smelled like maple syrup. The closer I got to the ward lines the more I wanted pancakes, but I knew pancakes weren't going to satisfy my hunger.

We moved soundlessly beyond the ward line and immediately smelt death. I glanced over at Dimitri with wide eyes and took off in a sprint. I followed the stench until I realized that I was heading straight back to the caves. Only then did I remember that I'd forgotten to tell Alberta about the caves. With the mess that happened with Lissa and the unfortunate incident on the shopping trip, I'd completely forgotten about the network of dark tunnels, perfect for hiding Strigoi or Pricolici.

 _"They're in the caves,"_ I told Dimitri as we approached the mouth of the cave.

 _"Do you know how many there are?"_ He asked as he followed closely behind.

 _"I can't tell for sure, but there are at least half a dozen, probably more."_ He didn't respond as he squeezed his body through the opening. We moved silently down the corridors following the smell of death.

The passages led us back to the large cavern a few moments later. Like the last time, there were Strigoi gathered around a large fire. Two Pricolici were lying off to the side, watching the Strigoi. With their sensitive hearing, the Pricolici were the first to notice our entry. They raised their head in our direction before quickly standing with menacing growls.

The Strigoi looked confused until they followed the gaze of Pricolici and saw us. All of them were on the feet within a second. Dimitri and I had stopped at the entrance of passage, watching in amusement as the undead creatures looked at each other trying to figure out what to do. Finally, one Strigoi stepped forward and began to speak, addressing me specifically.

"We didn't expect to see you until tomorrow night, Great White Wolf," said he with an arrogant smirk. I felt Dimitri tense from his spot behind me. I suppose his fear for tomorrow's dance was well founded. "I don't think the boss will be too happy that we finished the job early."

 _"What job would that be?"_ Dimitri asked tensely. I hadn't planned on conversing with these Strigoi, but Dimitri wanted answers.

"The boss wants her alive, you too, if we could manage it, but you aren't strictly necessary." Said another as he inched his way closer to us. There was still a good twenty feet between us and the nearest Strigoi, so I wasn't too concerned, not that I would have been if they were closer.

 _"What does your boss want her for?"_ Dimitri asked, his voice growing angry.

"We don't really know. I know he's taking orders from another, but we work for him. Since you won't be leaving here alive, we don't mind answering a few questions." The Strigoi smirked and nodded in the direction of the Pricolici. They started moving around the edges of the cavern, trying to circle around the back of us. I let them.

 _"Who is your boss?"_ I asked after a few tense moments. I kept my eyes on the Strigoi in front of me as Dimitri turned to face the larger of the two Pricolici.

"His name is Victor. He'll be very pleased when we bring you in."

 _"What does he want with me?"_ I repeated Dimitri's question.

"Again, we aren't really sure. He's a little sick. He probably thinks that you can give him something, the bite? But the bite doesn't work with Moroi." The Strigoi stopped to look at each other, trying to figure out what their boss could possibly want with a living Lycanthrope.

 _"Why are you helping him?"_ I asked, their smirks growing as they stalked forward. The Pricolici had stopped and sat down, blocking our exit.

"He's promised us more power, better access to our…resources…that we need."

 _"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you're not going to hold up your end of the bargain, nor is your boss,"_ I said digging my back paws into the cave floor. Dimitri tensed at my movement but quickly prepared himself for my next move.

I didn't make the first move, the Strigoi did, but it would be his last.


	35. Chapter 35

**DPOV**

I felt the first Strigoi move toward Roza, and I leapt toward the closest Pricolici. I seemed to catch it off guard because I had its throat detached from its body before it could respond. The second Pricolici jumped over me, trying to get to Roza. I thrust a claw upwards, slashing at its underbelly, hoping to do some damage.

I managed to turn its attention from Roza to myself. The situation was better but not ideal. Flashes of my previous encounter with a Pricolici bombarded my mind, but instead of Ivan's body, it was Roza's. I expected to feel sorrow and pain, but as the rage coursed through my veins, my bloodlust grew.

The remaining Pricolici took a step back and fear flashed in its eyes. I took the moment of hesitation to charge forward, aiming for the neck of the undead beast. My body was already fueled by the blood of the first Pricolici, I had more than enough energy to take the second one. I could feel Roza still going strong, I knew she would be, so I focused my attention on the beast that had just dodged my jaws.

I released a growl of irritation and made another move toward it. My claws outstretched, I slashed at the monster's ankles, slicing the tendons, making his back legs useless. The monster tried to crawl away long enough for the tendons to heal, but I was already placing a paw on the center of his back to hold him down.

He struggled for a moment until I pushed down hard, severing his spine. The whimpers of the Pricolici rose above the snarls that Roza was releasing and the grunts and screams the Strigoi made as she killed them. Not wanting to delay and leave Rose alone for any longer, I clamped my jaws around the beast's neck and pulled the blood into my mouth.

The more blood I took in, the more my rage subsided. I felt full as I pulled my teeth from the dead beast's flesh. I quickly looked around to see where I could help Rose, but she was standing over two Strigoi, bodies littered the ground around her, and her coat was stained crimson.

I made eye contact with her and discovered that she'd been watching me as I fed from the Pricolici. I felt oddly aroused by the idea of Rose watching me as I drained the undead life from the monster, but I reigned in my thoughts and made my way to Rose's side. I place one of my paws on the chest of the Strigoi under her left paw.

 _"Are you okay?"_ She asked, looking up at me with worry clear in her eyes.

 _"I am now,"_ I told her while nuzzling my nose against her neck. She allowed the affection for a few moments before she turned back to the squirming bodies underneath us. Like the last Strigoi she had me catch for questioning, they look terrified. _"Have you gotten anything out of them?"_

 _"I was waiting for you. I think you'll be the best person to ask the questions."_

 _"I'm going to take that as a compliment,"_ I said looking up at her in amusement. Turning back to the struggling Strigoi, I crouched low, keeping ample pressure on the Strigoi's chest. _"The person your boss is working for, who is it?"_

"We don't know. We know she is a Strigoi, but we don't know who she is." The one under Rose sputtered out.

 _"She?"_ Rose asked looking up at me.

"Yeah. She. I overheard Victor muttering about some arrogant Strigoi woman who was trying to kill him. He then proceeded to yell at us to get you sooner rather than later. We figured that we'd wait till tomorrow night. Guardians would think that you got drunk and stumbled off, they'd look for you in the woods, but wouldn't declare you missing officially until a few hours after that. By then, Victor would have you far away where no one could find you." Even though the Strigoi were frightened, they still had a menacing tone, full of hatred and anger.

 _"Does this Victor have a last name?"_ I asked after processing their failed plan.

"Yes." The one under me said but didn't elaborate. I growled low and bent closer to his face. The one beside him yelped and spat out an answer.

"Dashkov!" He said, and I heard Rose gasp.

 _"Victor Dashkov?"_ She asked quietly. Both the Strigoi nodded. _"Finish this, Dimitri. Get the answers you need, and let's head back."_

 _"I think I have everything I need, Roza. I'm not sure they know anything else."_ I told her before turning back to the undead. _"Thank you two for being so forthcoming."_

Without another word, Rose and I bent down and ripped their heads off.

 _"Are you hurt?"_ She asked as soon as the head the airborne. Her eyes scanned my body for any injuries, but I couldn't feel any, so I was probably okay.

 _"I don't think so. I feel so full, I really just want to nap."_ I answered truthfully. I looked her over as she continued her assessment of me. _"You're bleeding,"_ I said a little worriedly. I could smell her blood, though I couldn't identify where it was coming from because she was covered in blood.

 _"Yeah. I got a little cut on my side. It's nothing major. We'll look at it when we get back into the wards."_ She said moving past me, keeping the side she'd gestured to out of my line of sight. I decided to let it go until we were back into the safety of the wards, not that we couldn't defend ourselves, but she'd really need to be in human form for me to get a good look at her injury.

 _"You do realize this means that someone is after you, not Lissa,"_ I said as we exited the caves.

 _"What do you mean?"_ She asked looking up at me over her shoulder.

 _"I mean, we assumed that Lissa was the target because she's a Princess and a Spirit user. It's not like Spirit is a secret element, the numbers of Spirit users are growing, if Victor wanted a Spirit user, there are plenty of other Moroi that he could have taken with little to no detection. It didn't make sense that he was after a Spirit user, a Royal, maybe, but not a Spirit user."_

 _"But what about the note."_ She asked slowing her pace.

 _"It just said that they know what you are. They could have been talking about Lissa, sure, but she's declared her magic, so, again, it isn't a secret. However, not many people know you're a True Hybrid. There aren't any others in existence currently, so it makes sense to keep your identity hidden. What if you can do something that you don't know you can do. Maybe that's why Victor Dashkov is after you."_ I explained before stopping mid-step.

 _"What? What's wrong?"_ She asked looking around at the surrounding trees, trying to identify what caused my step to falter.

 _"Victor Dashkov. He's the one currently looking for you, but he's taking orders from a Strigoi. What Strigoi would have that kind of power over a Moroi? Why wouldn't the Strigoi just kill the Moroi? Why do business with them?"_ I asked hurriedly.

 _"Calm down, Comrade,"_ Roza said nuzzling her snout against mine. I felt myself calm immediately, though I don't know if it was her words or her actions that caused the change. _"We'll talk with Abe and Alberta when we get back and check out my side."_

I nodded and followed her all the way back to the wards. We found our way back to the clearing, only running into one Guardian on the way. The Guardian looked like he wanted to ask what had happened, but he instead shook his head and walked in the other direction. I waited for Rose to Shift first.

She groaned as she stood up straight, raising her left arm over her head to get a good look at her side. She had a deep gash running from the middle of her ribcage down to her hip bone.

 _"Roza! You said it was nothing major!"_ I cried as I rushed to her side, gently cleaning the blood, both hers and Strigoi's, from her wound with my tongue. She released a moan as my tongue caressed her side, but I ignored it as I continued to tend to her wound. Thankfully, the healing process had already started, but it would be a full day until it was completely healed.

"It's not that bad, Dimitri." She said before she winced as she put her arm back down by her side.

 _"Don't lie to me. It's deep and will take a full day to heal. That's major for a Lycanthrope."_ I scolded. She rolled her eyes at me before bending to pick up her clothes. _"Don't put those on yet."_

"We can't do anything while you're in wolf form, Comrade." She said with an amused expression.

 _"Not for that, Roza,"_ I said with an exasperated sigh before Shifting. "I'm going to go get bandages so I can wrap that. I know there's little risk for infection, but I'm not taking chances with you anymore."

She let out a sigh but shooed me toward campus. I quickly pulled on my shorts and shirt and ran to the on-campus clinic. The nurse on duty tried to get me looked at because I was covered in blood, but after reassuring her several times that it wasn't mine and I needed to tend to my Alpha, she let me go with the needed supplies.

I returned to Rose, who was sitting on the ground in a meditative position, most likely doing just that. Her eyes snapped open as I entered the clearing but didn't stand. I knelt beside her and she raised her arm without being prompted.

I cleaned the wound with an alcohol wipe, apologizing when she winced. If this wound was on any other creature, I would probably suggest stitches, but on Rose, she needed a patch and she'd be good to go. I carefully cut a patch the side of the gash and wrapped the cloth in place with a bandage around her body.

When I was done, I placed a light kiss on her forehead and handed her clothes to her to dress.

"We'll go back and shower before meeting with Alberta and Abe," I said as I extended a hand to help her up.

"You're telling me that you just dressed my wound only to take the dressing off in a few minutes and repeat the process?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"Yes," I stated simply as I placed a hand at the small of her back and pushed her in the direction of the Guardian dorms.

"Unbelievable." She muttered and continued on in silence. The sun was out at this time, curfew was getting closer, but there were still plenty of people out and about. We stuck to the shadows as much as possible and went in the back entrance to the Guardian building. Most Guardians knew what we were doing, but we didn't want to alarm anyone with the amount of blood we had on ourselves.

Thankfully, Lissa was in her room with Christian when we entered the suite. She was a sweet girl, but she squealed a little too much for my liking. Derek looked up at us with a raised eyebrow, but Rose didn't acknowledge him as she headed to our bathroom.

"We're good, no worries," I said as I followed Rose. I paused to close and lock the doors to the bedroom and the bathroom. When I turned around, Rose was already naked and started to unwrap her bindings. I stripped quickly and helped her remove the patch on her side.

She stepped into the water stream, hissing as the water hit her side. I quickly moved her out the way and shielded her with my body.

"It's water, Comrade. It's not going to hurt me." She said with a chuckle.

"Then what was the hiss?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I didn't wait for a response as I lathered a washcloth with soap to scrub the blood from our bodies. I started with Rose, gently removing any trace of the Strigoi from her body and avoiding causing her more pain. She closed her eyes as my hands traced her body.

"Am I going to get to clean you off?" She asked after a few moments.

"No. You're not allowed to do anything but stand there and let me take care of you," I said gently.

"So, I can't take care of you?" She asked opening her eyes and looking up at me.

"Not this time, Roza," I said with a smile. She huffed but reached up and placed a soft kiss on my lips in acceptance.

"I love you, Comrade." She said with a smile.

"I love you, too, Roza," I said. We finished our shower and dressed before I called Alberta.

"Petrov." She said from the other side of the phone.

"Alberta. It's Dimitri. We got back from hunting a little bit ago, and we've discovered some new information. Could we meet with you and Abe in the morning?" I asked watching Rose climb into bed.

"Sure thing. Are you sure we don't need to meet right now?" She asked, worry lacing her words.

"I'm sure. We're both extremely tired, and it would be best if we waited until we were alert to relay all the gathered information."

"Alright. I'll see you bright and early in the morning. Come by after breakfast. I'll have Abe send Pavel as a temporary replacement for Lissa." Alberta said. We bid each other goodnight, and I hung up.

Rose was already asleep when I crawled into bed. Carefully, I pulled her close to me, trying not to jostle her awake or place pressure on her side. I kissed her temple before my body sagged with exhaustion.

With my Alpha tucked safely against my body, I fell into a deep sleep.


	36. Chapter 36

**RPOV**

Much like the first time I woke in Dimitri's arms, he wouldn't let me leave. In fact, this time, every unsuccessful attempt was met with a growl. Sometime during the night, Dimitri had rid us both of our clothing, probably due to overheating.

"Dimitri," I said for the fifth time, but every time I said his name in an attempt to wake him was met with a kiss to the back of my neck, this time was no different. I'd poked him several times, but he'd only tightened his grip around me.

I decided I'd have to pull out my Alpha to get him to listen to me. Besides, it was time for us to wake up anyway. I didn't know what time we had to meet Alberta and Abe, but I assumed it was going to be early.

I felt my inner wolf rise up, and Dimitri's lifted his head. I gave a low menacing growl, but his lips curled back in the best attempt at a smirk a wolf can give. I felt Dimitri's cock jump to attention as he released a low moan. Not exactly how I imagined waking him, but it will get the job done.

I wiggled my ass backward causing his cock to get harder and his arms to tighten yet again.

"Dimitri," I whispered sweetly. He kissed the back of my neck again, but this time he trailed kisses over my shoulder and up to my ear. I wasn't sure if he was still asleep or not, but he took my earlobe in between his teeth and nibbled lightly. He allowed me room to roll over so I was facing him.

I trailed one finger along his jaw, tracing patterns down his chest until my hand came to rest above his heart. I leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips, pulling back to observe his reaction. His arms tightened around my waist, pressing his cock into my thigh. His eyes snapped open, shining a bright gold, and met mine which were probably glowing lilac.

"Good morning, Roza." He said in a gravelly voice, his words heavy with sleep, but he body fully awake.

"Morning, Comrade," I said with a smirk. "It's so nice for you to join me in the land of the living."

"I did it again, didn't I?" He asked with a sigh. I giggle and nodded.

"Your protective side was on full alert even if you weren't," I said running my hand up his chest and into his hair, tugging on the silky strands.

"I told you, I'm not going to lose you." He growled as he lowered his lips to my neck.

"Trust me, Comrade, I'm not going anywhere." I breathed, my lungs barely providing me enough air to get the sentence out. His lips traveled lower as he pushed me onto my back and hovered over me.

He apparently didn't trust me to stay put this time and gripped my wrists, holding them tightly above my head. His tongue found one of my nipples and circled it lightly. My back arched off the bed, pressing my stomach against his chest just in time to feel the growl he emanated vibrate through me.

He switched his attention to the other breast before releasing my hands. Before I could wind my hands into his hair, he disappeared beneath the sheets.

"Dimitri, what are you doing?" I asked, my mind foggy from his overwhelming scent.

"Having breakfast." He responded. I tried to sit up to see what he meant, but one of his hands pushed me back into the mattress. His other hand glided down the side of my body, bending my knee and pulling me closer to him.

I released a small yelp when he bit my hip, still trying to wriggle free from his grasp. I saw his form under the sheets lower, and he placed my legs over his shoulders, his tongue tracing the inside of my thigh as he left me panting.

His warm tongue traced along to my throbbing heat, giving it a long stroke. I both heard and felt his moan as he placed his lips near my pussy, but he didn't give me what my body was craving. He threw one forearm across my stomach to keep me from squirming too much, and I gripped the sheets at my sides trying to keep myself in place, not wanting to miss a second of the pleasure he was giving me.

"Dimitri." I moaned as his teeth scraped across my clit. I felt the smirk on his lips as he flicked his tongue out.

"Did you need something?" He asked as he lifted his head and pulled the sheet back to look up at me. The moment his lips had broken contact I released a whimper that caused the smirk on his face to grow.

"Why must you torment me?" I asked overdramatically, throwing an arm across my eyes. Without warning, he roughly thrust a finger inside me causing me to scream.

"Is that better?" He asked still smirking. I growled at him, but before I could answer, he started moving his finger, adding a second to the first. The words died on my tongue and were replaced with a moan.

His fingers curled inside me, scratching lightly at my walls causing me to shudder. He flipped the sheet back over his head, blocking my view of him. My eyes closed on their own, effectively shutting off one of my senses and allowing the others to become more sensitive. His tongue soon joined his fingers, lightly massaging my clit but never giving the stimulation I needed to release.

"Stop teasing." I gasped out, trying to pull him up with my legs, but he resisted. He bit the inside of my thigh and growled.

"Will you let me eat in peace, woman." He mumbled before returning to his ministrations. Another strangled moan escaped me as he continued to torture me. Thankfully, his fingers picked up speed and he increased the pressure of his tongue.

My moans turned to screams of pleasure, and my nails dug into the mattress as his tongue replaced his fingers. As his tongue wiggled around inside me, I felt the pressure building and my screams got louder. He stiffened his tongue and began thrusting it in and out of my pussy, and his fingers lazily circled my clit.

Only when he squeezed my clit between his thumb and index finger did I fall apart. The scream that started in my throat died in my mouth as it came out like a moan. Dimitri thrust his tongue inside me as my walls started pulsing, and he'd lap at each pulse, dragging out my orgasm.

My entire body shuddered and went limp when he withdrew his tongue and sat up from under the sheets. I closed my eyes to try to get my mind working again, and he chuckled. I opened one eye to see him smiling widely, my juices still covering his face, but his tongue was working its way around his mouth to capture it all.

He raised his fingers to his lips and licked them clean, the sight caused me to moan involuntarily.

"Delicious." He muttered, his eyes roaming my prone form hungrily. He crawled back up the bed and placed a hand on either side of my head. He lowered his lips to my ear and nibbled on my lobe, eliciting a shiver from me. I was about to pull him closer, but he abruptly stood from the bed. "Come on, we have a meeting after breakfast."

I stared speechlessly as I watched his naked figure retreat into the closet to get dressed. A growl escaped my throat causing him to chuckle. Grumbling, I grabbed his discard shirt from last night and slipped it on. I made my way over to "my room" to get dressed for the day just as Derek was entering the suite. His eye roamed my body, but I don't think he meant to because he quickly averted his gaze.

Dimitri's growl came low and threatening behind me.

"I'm just going to wait for you guys in the hall." Derek sputtered out before fleeing quickly.

"Really, Comrade?" I sighed. "He wasn't going to do anything. You might as well let them look because that's the best they're going to get." I laughed walking into my closet. My "Guardian" attire mainly consisted of black and white articles, but I was now adding a splash of color to the bland black and white.

As usual, I pulled on black skinny jeans and a white top, but my blazer held red detailing. The red matched the color of my combat boots that I quickly slipped on my feet before joining Dimitri in the living area. We were heading toward to door as I brushed my hair back into a ponytail, ready to go.

Dimitri opened the door for me and studiously ignored Derek.

"We'll see you around lunch," I said pushing Dimitri ahead of me, but he only went a few feet before waiting for me to finish. "We have a meeting with Alberta and Abe after breakfast, they should be sending you Pavel to fill in for me. Keep her safe in the meantime."

Derek nodded and entered the suite. I turned my attention back to Dimitri.

"You've really got to start being nicer to men," I said starting down the hallway, Dimitri by my side.

"I can't be nice to them if they keep looking at you like you're something to eat." He grumbled.

"Isn't that how you see me?" I asked giving me a pointed look. A wide grin spread across his face.

"Yes, but you bear my Mark." He said pushing my collar to the side slightly to reveal more of his Mark. I'd notice the Mark change over the past few weeks. The hearts had started out empty, just simple outlines, but they'd slowly gained color. In the larger heart, the Alpha heart – mine – there was swirling gold and lilac, more gold than lilac. In the Beta heart – Dimitri's – there was a swirling lilac and gold, more lilac than gold. The same thing had happened to his.

I'd never seen Marks have color, but I guess it was something unique, though I didn't know if it was because I was a True Hybrid or because I was a True Alpha.

"It's gotten brighter." He said, tracing his finger around the Mark. "Do you know what it means?"

"Not a clue, but we can ask Abe in our meeting," I said and watched Dimitri's face pale. "What's wrong, Comrade?"

"Nothing, I just forgot to tell Alberta that I'd Claimed you." He stuttered.

"Well, it's none of her business anyway. Besides, she didn't really have a say in our Claiming anyway." I said pushing my way out of the Guardian dorms. Even from this distance, I could smell the food that awaited us, perks of having fed recently.

Dimitri stayed silent the rest of the way to the cafeteria and actually got his food at the same time I did. I suppose it's because there wasn't another Guardian to watch me while he got food, but I took it as a step in the right direction. We ate in silence, though Dimitri did drape an arm around me in a silent form of communication.

Entering Alberta's office, Abe was already there.

"Hello, Little Girl." He said with a large smile. I hadn't seen him at all these past three weeks, he claimed to have been busy tracking down threats to me and the princess.

"Hey, Old Man," I said matching his enthusiasm. Dimitri nodded in acknowledgment but continued to look nervous, an emotion he'd adopted on the walk over.

"Why don't you fill us in on what you've learned." Alberta began after we'd seated ourselves.

"There are caves a few minutes north of campus that have recently been used as a half-way point for traveling Strigoi." Dimitri began. "The past two times we've hunted in the area their stench has led us there. They're larger groups, six to ten, and usually travel is at least one Pricolici."

"Strigoi traveling with Pricolici? That's unheard of!" Alberta exclaimed.

"They're working for someone," I answered. "We got a name yesterday: Victor Dashkov."

"As in _Prince_ Victor Dashkov?" Abe asked.

"That's what we figured. He's sick and getting sicker by the day. One of the Strigoi said that he was going to trade Rose, or something like that, for a cure." Dimitri growled.

"So he's working with or for someone else? He's not controlling the operation?" Abe asked leaning forward in his seat, rubbing his goatee in contemplation.

"They say he's working for a Strigoi. She's controlling some huge operation and needs Rose for who-knows-what." Dimitri said, taking on a similar position at Abe, though without the goatee-stroking.

"So they weren't after Lissa?" Alberta asked.

"I don't think so. The note that was left was far too mysterious for anyone to be talking about Spirit, besides she declared her magic already. There was no way that Lissa was going to move close enough to the dead fox to see the note. Whoever left it wanted it to be found by a curious individual." Dimitri said gesturing to me. "The two groups of Strigoi we've come across haven't mentioned Lissa at all, which leads me to believe Rose is their target."

"That all makes sense," Abe muttered. "The leads that I've been following have no connection to Princess Dragomir, but they do have some connections to Rose."

"What kind of connections?" I asked leaning forward prepared to hear how this was now about me, not Lissa. Abe was about to answer, but he eye flicked down and he stopped. At first, I thought he was being a creepy old man and staring at my cleavage, but when I glanced down, I was covered completely.

The air in the room shifted and became angry. I knew Dimitri felt it too because he stiffened. What came next shocked me, not because of the calm rage with which it was said but the words themselves.

"You Claimed my daughter?"


	37. Chapter 37

**DPOV**

I straightened in my seat and stared him right in the eyes before answering.

"Yes, sir," I responded. His eyes narrowed further, but I maintained eye contact. I heard Alberta gasp and the room tensed further.

"Daughter?" I heard Rose mumble quietly beside me. I watched as Abe's eyes widened in realization of what he had done. I would have laughed as fear swept over his face if not for the fact that I was in trouble myself.

You could hear the gulp as Abe looked toward Alberta for help, but I knew she wasn't going to give him any. My eyes were trained on Abe, keeping the threat in my line of sight. There wasn't really much he could do other than using his magic, but I wasn't going to give him the opportunity to retaliate.

"You're a brave man, Belikov." I heard Alberta mutter. Rose had slowly risen from her seat and had begun to pace in the space behind us. I watched Abe's head swivel back and forth as he followed the movement. I think, like me, he was waiting for her to explode.

I felt Rose slowly process that one word into everything she knows about this man. She understood, now, why the man was so familiar and trustworthy.

 _"Did you know?"_ She asked quietly, but she might as well have yelled it by the way I flinched.

"He told me he was going to wait till your mother showed up to explain everything to you," I replied aloud.

"That could have taken months!" She exclaimed.

"I know, but I really didn't know how else to tell you," Abe said softly. I knew what Abe Mazur was capable of and his reputation for being a fierce, ruthless man, but the man before me was scared, terrified.

"You were afraid she was going to reject you as a father," I said, eyes wide in realization.

"It was one of my fears, yes." He mumbled looking down at his hands. Rose had stopped pacing and was now leaning against the back wall of Alberta's office, thinking.

"Your biggest fear is that I would hate you." She said, and Abe answered with a small nod.

"I wasn't there for you growing up, mostly because Janine didn't want me there. She was scared that my business would put you at risk, but then she dropped you off here, and just left you. She warned me there would be consequences if I ever came here to know you, so I stayed away. I watched you from afar, making sure you had everything you could possibly need, other than parents, but I couldn't come here, and I couldn't make Janine come here, either." Abe said to his hands, never once looking up at Rose.

"You don't know me, Rose, but I know you. At least, I know parts of you. I'd like to get to know you more if you'll let me. I'm not asking you to accept me as your father, perhaps just as a father-figure." Abe said looking up, hope shining in his eyes.

"On one condition," Rose said after a few moments of tense thought.

"Name it."

"You lay off Dimitri." I looked over at Rose in surprise. She shrugged. "I couldn't think of anything that would make me refuse his offer other than his acceptance of you."

"Are you sure there isn't anything else?" Abe asked, eyeing me warily.

"Absolutely. Either you accept that Dimitri is mine or you don't. If you don't, then you'll just be another Moroi to me." Rose said with another shrug. Abe continued to stare at me, seriously calculating if getting to know his daughter was worth it if I was in the picture.

"Fine." Was his tense response. I could feel Rose roll her eyes as the two of us continued our staring contest.

"Wonderful. Now, do you want to continue our meeting or are you two going to keep looking deep into each other's eyes?" Rose said plopping herself into the chair between Abe and me. Abe was the first one to break contact as he turned to Alberta and nodded.

Alberta pulled out a file and hesitantly handed it over to me. I took it from her and opened it. It didn't look like a particularly heavy or think folder, but each page held a significant amount of information.

"We looked into the recent Strigoi attacks." Abe began. "There's been a normal amount of attacks of Moroi, that's to be expected, but there has been a drastic increase of Strigoi attacks of Lycanthrope, whether they're involved with the Moroi society or not."

"Why would Strigoi be attacking Lycanthrope?" Rose asked looking over my shoulder at the file's contents.

"We don't know, but we can guess. The few times Strigoi have attacked Lycanthrope it's always to turn them, to aid their own power, but these attacks have been killings, not turnings." Alberta said looking to Abe.

"For the past five years or so, there have been mutterings that travel both through the Moroi and the Strigoi. Talk of a rising Alpha, coat as pure as snow, and a heart even purer." Abe said glancing over at Rose who was still looking at the file. "They say if the Alpha reaches maturity before being Turned, they'll be too powerful to stop. However, if the Alpha is to mature and gain a pack, they'll be the greatest ruler to ever exist."

"The past five years?" Rose said finally, completely missing the description of herself. "Why are they only starting to attack now? Why not try to find the wolf sooner?"

"It's my understanding that they did try to find the wolf before, two years ago, but they didn't succeed. From talk, the wolf went into hiding, either in wards more often or completely off the grid." Alberta said with a pointed look at Rose, who was continuing to miss the whole thing.

"Well, if they haven't matured yet, it's most likely because they're inside wards all the time, but I don't know why that would have changed suddenly," Rose said thoughtfully.

"I think something happened to the wolf. Something that made her less likely to leave the wards." Abe said. "Something like a car accident."

Rose sat nodding along, letting the information sink in. The rest of us sat in silence and watched the conclusions being drawn. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and her jaw dropped as she looked at me. Her head began to move slowly side to side as she swiveled between the three of us.

"No." She said quietly. "You can't possibly think…no. That's impossible…that doesn't make sense."

"Roza," I said softly, taking her hand in mine. "They're saying that you're the Alpha they're looking for." Her eyes latched on to mine, practically begging me to be joking.

"Do you think that?" She questioned. I glanced quickly at Abe to see his worried expression, but he stayed silent.

"The way they're describing it, there are too many connections for it to just be a coincidence."

"The car accident…" She mumbled, her eyes wide. "It was my fault…"

"It was most certainly _not_ your fault, Roza," I said sternly, but she continued on like I hadn't said anything.

"It was my fault. They were looking for me. The Strigoi ran us off the road trying to kill me!" She'd jumped up and began pacing, her face contorted in pain, tears threatening to spill over. "It's my fault the Dragomirs are dead. I killed Lissa's family."

My heart broke for her. She was so protective of her friends, they were family to her. I faintly heard her mumbling 'I killed them' repeatedly as she backed toward the door. I tried to get up faster than I did, but Abe had the same thought and we ended up tripping over each other to get to Rose before she had a chance to flee.

Her hair flew out behind her as she dashed from Alberta's office, tearing off down the hall to get outside. I could feel her wolf clawing her way to the surface, and I dropped my duster off my shoulders knowing I'd need to Shift soon.

I watched from several yards behind her as Rose Shifted in mid-stride. I Shifted, pausing my stride long enough to accommodate two new limbs into my run. She'd sprinted as soon as all four of her paws had hit the ground.

I ran faster than I ever had before when I heard her howl. Her cry was full of sorrow and guilt. I could feel the rest of the pack stiffen and begin to panic as they felt Rose's emotions so strongly.

Howls responded from all directions but Rose ran into the woods. I followed, ever so slowly closing the distance between us. I felt my heart clench as Rose released another howl filled with overwhelming guilt. I pushed myself to go faster.

Rose's form was slower at dodging the trees due to her heightened emotional state. It wasn't often you could find a Lycanthrope that could cry in wolf form, we mostly just used our howls to signal sorrow or mourning, but I could smell the salt as I followed her. I was ten feet behind her when she started slowing down.

Her movements looked pained, and her paws shook as they hit the earth. She burst into the clearing before collapsing in a heap. Her whole body shook as she released another howl, this one broken and weak. She curled into herself, trying to make her form smaller, tears falling from her lilac eyes.

I rushed over to her and wrapped my larger form around hers, my tail just meeting my paws. I laid my head over her back, protecting her from all sides, but she didn't need my protection, and I couldn't help the war that was raging in her mind, so I was there to help her body.

I could feel her heartbeat unevenly in her chest, soft whimpers escaping her throat. I closed my eyes and nuzzled her neck with my snout.

 _"Roza, you don't do this to yourself. It isn't your fault."_ I told her as her whimpers died down.

 _"I was supposed to be in that car, Dimitri."_ Her voice was shaky in my head. _"They were looking for me. I should have been there. I could have stopped it from happening, they died because of me."_

 _"They died because Strigoi killed them, Roza. If you'd been in that car, you'd probably be dead, too. If you were dead, who would look after Lissa?"_ I asked, knowing that her protective nature wouldn't allow her to wallow for too long. _"What about your friends? Mason? Eddie? Even Christian. What would they have done without you? Roza, you can't blame yourself. You weren't there, you couldn't stop it, but you have to accept that it happened, but know that it isn't your fault."_

 _"Is this how you felt with Ivan?"_ She asked quietly snuggling closer to my side.

 _"I played the 'What If?' game for longer than I should have. What if I hadn't left? What if I could have run faster? What if I'd listened to my gut a minute earlier? I asked myself what I should have, could have, done differently that day. There were so many possibilities. I could have changed just one thing in a long list of things that day, but it just so happens that they played out the way they did. In reality, if I had been there, I'd probably be dead, too."_ I told her, pulling her closer with my head.

 _"If you'd died, I never would have met you."_

 _"I would have died protecting someone I love, but I would have been alone. We can't change the past, Roza. This past month with you has been more than I could ever have hoped for. I stopped playing the 'What If?' game the moment you said, 'I love you.'"_ I told her before lifting my head to look down at her. Her eyes had dried up, but her face was still guilt-ridden. _"Horrible things have happened in my life, but I wouldn't change any of it if changing it means losing you."_

She smiled as best she could and licked my nose.

 _"I love you, Dimitri."_ She said making a move to stand. I unwrapped my body from around her but stayed put. _"We need to go back to Abe and Alberta and get a game plan together. We'll need to inform the pack of the latest development."_

 _"This means we can lift the guard on Lissa,"_ I said getting to my feet as she moved slowly to the tree line.

 _"You're just excited to get rid of Derek."_ She laughed, picking up her pace now that I was following her. _"You do realize that Derek will probably stop guarding Lissa and start guarding me, right?"_

 _"I hadn't thought of that,"_ I growled causing her to chuckle. _"Derek is a nice guy and all, but I don't like the way he looks at you."_

 _"You don't like the way any man looks at me, Comrade. Besides, he knows I'm Claimed, and you tend to remind him on a regular basis."_ She said with a smirk. It was amazing how well she could smirk in wolf form, a little scary, too.

 _"Damn straight, and I'd keep reminding him until he learns to keep his lingering eyes off your ass,"_ I growled nipping at her ass for emphasis. She gave a short yelp and turned her head to glare at me.

 _"Careful, Comrade, you might make me do something you won't like."_

 _"I'm not sure there's anything that you could do to me that I wouldn't like,"_ I said with a wink.

 _"Maybe not, but I think I'll prolong your 'torture,' see how you hold up."_ She said, the smirk returning to her face, and I couldn't help but shiver at the promise of her prolonged "torture."


	38. Chapter 38

**RPOV**

We returned to Alberta's office, still in wolf form. The normally spacious office was dwarfed when our massive bodies entered. Abe looked a little worried, but I wasn't sure if it was because we were giant beasts or if he was worried about me.

"Are you alright, Rose?" Alberta asked after Dimitri had closed the door with his tail. I sat back on my haunches while Dimitri stood behind me protectively. Now that he knew the threat was against me, there was no way that I could get him to relax.

 _"I'll get there. Do we know for a fact that there isn't a threat against Lissa?"_ I asked, looking at Abe for my answer.

"Absolutely sure, well, not from these Strigoi anyway. She is still a Princess, there's going to be a threat no matter what, but she's safe inside the wards."

 _"Is Roza safe within the wards?"_ Dimitri asked.

"Probably not. The Strigoi, sadly, have the ability to manipulate even the strongest of people. Rose is probably in more danger inside the wards than outside. Outside the wards, you know your enemy; inside the wards, you can't trust anyone." Alberta said.

"So, we take her outside these wards," Abe said. Alberta looked up at him astonished. "What? There are too many people here, almost all of them we can't trust. We put her in wards that we can trust and she'll be safe."

 _"I can't just leave, Dad."_ I said, shocking us both at the use of 'Dad.'

"I'm not going to leave you here to always be looking over your shoulder," Abe said fiercely.

 _"I can't leave my friends, my pack!"_ I exclaimed.

"I'm not asking you to. They'll all be welcome to join you somewhere safe." Abe responded, the pleading evident in his voice.

 _"Where would we even go?"_ I asked considering his offer.

"I have warded properties all over the globe. America, Argentina, China, Ecuador, Greece, France, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Sweden; take your pick, and we'll be there." Abe said, his eyes shining bright with hope.

 _"How do you feel about going back to Russia, Comrade?"_ I asked Dimitri. I looked over my shoulder at him, and a smile spread wide across his face. _"Russia it is, but we leave tomorrow, after the dance."_

I could feel the hesitation from both Abe and Dimitri, neither one of them wanted to risk my safety for a dance. However, I'd bought a dress, and I'll be damned if Dimitri doesn't take it off by the end of the night.

"Only if you'll consent to have half a dozen men watching you, not including Dimitri," Abe said, his eyes narrowing in challenge. I sighed but nodded in agreeance. "I'll have my guard removed from Lissa, but he will start guarding you instead."

 _"I figured as much."_ I chuckled as Dimitri released a low growl.

"Another Pavlov situation?" Alberta asked amused.

 _"I don't think you'll ever find me a guard that Dimitri is okay with,"_ I said.

 _"I wouldn't have a problem if they kept their eyes at an appropriate eye level."_ Came Dimitri's response.

 _"Just because they stare doesn't change the fact that I bear your Mark,"_ I said nuzzling the underside of his jaw as it was clenched tightly. He closed his eyes and tried to remain angry, but my soft caresses relaxed him.

 _"Just know I won't be happy about this."_ He grumbled.

 _"I believe that's what you said the last time,"_ I said amused.

 _"And look how that turned out."_ He said giving me a pointed look.

 _"Derek is a good man, Dimitri,"_ I said firmly. _"Ivan was too, but he just didn't know his boundaries."_

 _"I'll make sure Derek knows his."_ He growled, and I rolled my eyes before turning my attention back to Alberta and Abe. Abe was looking at me with amusement, but his look turned stony when he observed Dimitri.

I stood up straighter and growled low, my ears forward and eyes locked on Abe's. I felt Dimitri shrink back and heard an extremely quiet whimper leave his throat. If I had to guess, the whimper was so soft Abe and Alberta wouldn't have heard it. Alberta tightened her hands into fists and sat back in her chair, her eyes wide in shock.

Abe shrank back and his right eye twitched. To give him credit, he did try to hold his ground, that is until I took a step forward and loomed above him.

"Alright. I get it." He muttered bitterly. "Be nice to Dimitri, got it."

 _"I mean it, Old Man,"_ I growled again.

"Alright! I got it!" He said throwing his hands in the air.

 _"That goes for Pavel, too. That goes for all of your Guardians. You'll be nice."_ I said pulling my lips back in a snarl.

"I'll make sure they know," Abe said crossing his arms over his chest like a toddler not getting his way.

I growled once more before moving back to my original spot. Dimitri hesitantly stepped forward, and when I didn't make him back down, he nuzzled up against my neck.

 _"You're lucky you're cute."_ I quietly growled as he nipped at my ear. He chuckled as he stepped back behind me.

"My Guardians will show up around 7 to start their shifts. The dance starts at 8, and you aren't allowed to go anywhere without Dimitri and at least three other men." Abe said sternly, finally straightening back up. "All the Guardians will be dressed in black with a red rose boutonniere."

 _"How original…"_ I grumbled.

"They'll be there so you know who they are if you need one quickly," Abe explained. I nodded in agreeance, still not happy about the excessive guard.

 _"Is there anything else you guys need to tell us?"_ Dimitri asked.

"No, I think we covered it all. If we think of something else, we'll let you know." I nodded and turned to leave. I was surprised that Dimitri got the door open, but I assume that he's had more experience at opening doors as a wolf than I have.

 _"Thanks, Comrade,"_ I said and let my tail brush past his face.

 _"Anything for you, Roza."_ He responded, nipping the tip of my tail.

 _"Anything?"_ I asked looking over my shoulder at him.

 _"If it's within my power to do."_ He said trotting alongside me.

 _"What if I want you to not guard me tonight?"_ I asked.

 _"That's not going to happen."_ He growled.

 _"But you said anything."_ I retorted.

 _"Within my power. It isn't within my power to stop protecting you. You're stuck with me, and there's nothing you can do about it."_ He said firmly.

 _"Fine."_ I huffed as we reached the Guardian dorms. There were a few Guardians out and about that gave us curious glances, but most of them shrugged it off.

We navigated the narrow hallways and even narrower staircase with as much ease as they allowed. It was already after lunch, and I was starving. I'm surprised my stomach hadn't made itself known during our meeting, but it was making itself known now.

Dimitri chuckled as he opened the door for me with his teeth. I glared at him as I walked past which made him chuckle again. After the door was closed, Dimitri immediately Shifted and stood in front of me naked. I couldn't help but stare at his perfect body.

He took my frozen stance as a chance to approach me. His hand came slowly to my snout, stroking the fur lightly. He moved his hand further back on my face until it reached my ear. I released a soft moan as he scratched the soft spot behind my ear.

He placed a gentle kiss on my snout before moving toward the kitchen.

"I'm going to start of lunch for the two of us." He said as I watched his ass as it walked away from me. I Shifted.

"Are you going to put on clothes? Or are you going to cook completely naked?" I asked with a hand on my hip, not even trying to hide my open leering.

"Do you have a problem with that?" He asked raising an eyebrow. I saw his cock slowly start to rise as he took more of my body in. "Now that I think about it, it might be best if we put clothes on."

"Why would that be?" I asked innocently, slowly stalking toward him. He backed himself into the corner of the kitchen, his eyes transfixed on my swaying hips. His cock was at full attention and twitched with each step I took forward. "Am I distracting you, Dimitri?"

He didn't seem to register my words as he reached out and place his hands on my hips, and I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck. I stood on my toes and pulled his lips down to meet mine. I could feel his cock pressing hard into my stomach, and Dimitri moaned into my mouth as I brought a hand down to wrap it around his thick member.

I tightened my grip, and he threw his head back and released a loud moan. I smirked and dropped to my knees. His breath caught in his throat, and he gripped the counter behind him to steady himself.

"Roza." He breathed huskily. I paused my lips as they began to wrap themselves around his cock and looked up at him through my eyelashes. He growled as he threaded a hand in my hair and pushed me forward gently.

I smirked and let my tongue flick out and taste his flesh. I myself released a low growl as a bead of precum spread across my taste buds. I slowly ran my tongue all over his cock, wetting it so it would slide in and out of my mouth with ease. The hand that was in my hair went back to gripping the counter as he relinquished full control to me.

I took his heavy sack in my right hand and began fondling them. He released another groan and my left hand wrapped around the base of his shaft and my mouth wrapped around the large head.

I worked my tongue around the head before sinking deeper. As my mouth went down his cock, my hand worked its way firmly up before meeting my mouth and retracting. There was no way that I could fit the entire length in my mouth, but I was going to try.

I relaxed my jaw and throat and pushed myself forward. Dimitri released a strangled growl as I took more of him in. When the tip reached the back of my throat, I released a long, low growl that caused Dimitri to call out my name.

The knuckles of his hands were white as he gripped the counter behind him. I pulled back and moved forward yet again, repeating my previous actions. I forwent using my hand on his cock and let my mouth take over. My right hand was still fondling his balls so I moved my left hand behind them to stroke his stiff perineum.

Dimitri released a loud grunt of approval, so I continued my diligent work. Swirling my tongue around the head as I pulled back before pushing back in, Dimitri released one of his hands from the counter and wrapped it in my hair yet again.

He'd been trying so hard to let me have control, but his body took over. His hips tried chasing my lips as I pulled them back, his hand gently pushing my head forward. I growled in protest, but he moaned in pleasure as my growl vibrated around his cock.

"Roza! You're driving me wild!" He growled. I smirked as best I could with my mouth full but didn't relent control to him. I picked up my pace and sucked harder, pulling him deeper into my throat, gripping his sack harder as I rolled his balls between my fingers.

I scraped my nails lightly along his perineum and felt his muscles tense. I prepared myself for the salty taste of his cum as he released with a roar. The first jet of warm liquid coated my mouth as I sucked hard. I didn't expect him to taste so sweet along with the salty and moaned as he filled my mouth with his seed.

His entire body was shuddering as I sucked every last drop from him. I placed my hands on his quivering thighs and released his cock from my mouth. I swallowed a few times and licked my lips clean.

Dimitri was leaning heavily against to the counter, breathing deeply, eyes closed with a look of pure bliss. His eyes opened to meet mine as the gold slowly faded away.

"Weren't you supposed to be cooking?" I asked saucily. He growled and pulled me up. His hands gripped the back of my thighs and picked me up. I giggled as he set me on the island counter, his cock hard and ready to go again.

"I think I've accomplished my job of feeding you." He whispered against my ear. His lips trailed from my ear to my collarbone. My body was betraying me and relinquishing control to him, but I couldn't let that happen, no matter how much I wanted what he was giving.

I placed my hands on his chest and quickly wiggled my way out of his grasp and off the counter.

"Roza." He growled, the gold coming back to his eyes.

"Food, Comrade," I smirked and moved toward the bedroom to put some clothes on so I couldn't distract him any longer. I heard him growl before the clattering of pans.

If he was having trouble right now, when I wasn't even trying, he was going to have an extremely hard time tonight. I planned on numerous "torture" sessions before the night was over.


	39. Chapter 39

**DPOV**

I'd finished making Roza and myself lunch but with a lot of effort. I had to keep myself focused on the cooking food in front of me rather than my Alpha who was lounging in a chair in just my shirt. Her long legs were draped over the armrest barely covered by the fabric, one hand twirling her long hair around her fingers.

She was reading one of her serial killer books and occasionally chuckled before falling silent again. After using all of my self-control, I finished cooking our stir-fry. I'd discovered if I fed Roza Chinese food, she's much more willing to allow my close proximity.

I sat a bowlful of stir-fry on the coffee table in front of her and pulled the book out of her hands. I stuck her bookmark in the page she was on and ignored her glare as I moved away from her. Her glare vanished as her eyes fell on the food in front of her.

"Thanks, Comrade!" She chirped, picking up her chopsticks and digging in. I quickly moved to put on clothes as her moans of approval drifted through the air. I closed my eyes and slowly gained control of my body.

We spent the next few hours eating and reading. Lissa was spending the two hours after school let out in the library finishing homework before she came back and the two girls got ready. Abe had already let Eddie and Mason know that they would be leaving tomorrow but Rose wanted to tell Lissa herself, and then Lissa could break the news to Christian.

I had a feeling, like I would, that the pack would follow Rose anywhere, especially if it was to keep her safe. I was sitting on the couch with a book in hand, the other gently rubbing up and down Roza's legs as they rested across my lap. She was laying back on the couch reading her own book.

I heard a key in the door and was on my feet in one smooth motion. I tensed, claws out, a growl ready in the back of my throat. Lissa quickly came bursting through the door calling out to Rose.

"Come on, Rose! We have so much to do and so little time!" She said, making her way over to my bedroom door before stopping dead in her tracks when she noticed us. I was still crouched protectively in front of Rose, but had retracted my claws and killed the growl in my throat. "Oh, I didn't expect you two to be out here."

Rose stood from her spot and placed a hand lightly on my bicep. I straightened myself and looked down at Roza's amused expression.

"I was waiting for you to get back, knowing that you needed to have as much time with me as possible," Rose said with a kind smile. Lissa smiled before addressing me. She pointed a finger and me and narrowed her eyes. I took a step back unsure what I'd done wrong. Rose chuckled behind me and started toward "her" room. "You're not allowed to enter mine or Rose's room unless she is literally dying. Do you understand?"

I couldn't do anything but nod at the feisty princess. She narrowed her eyes once again before nodding sharply and following Rose. The door slammed softly behind them, and I was left standing stunned in the middle of the living area.

I sat back down on the couch and continued reading my book, trying to ignore Rose's muffled laughs. As time passed, I grew impatient. This was the longest I'd gone without seeing Rose since the day she agreed to be my girlfriend.

" _Calm down, Comrade. I'm just in the other room."_ Rose's soothing voice filled my mind. I immediately calmed but was still feeling tense.

There was a knock at the door, and my tension increased. I brought my claws back out and looked through the peephole on the door to see a few men standing outside the door.

"Who is it?" I called out.

"We're Mr. Mazur's Guardians." One of them answered. "We're here to protect Rosemarie."

I opened the door cautiously but allowed the men entrance.

"As long as you don't call her Rosemarie to her face, you'll probably get through the night without a scratch," I said with a smirk. The Guardians entered and glanced around the room.

"Where is Ms. Hathaway?" One of them asked. He seemed older, more experienced, but he eyed me with a harsh glare.

"You must be Pavel," I said. He looked shocked but quickly returned to glaring.

"Do I have to tell you the same thing I told my father?" Roza's growl came from the door to Lissa's room.

"No. I already heard it from your father." Pavel said keeping his hardened eyes on me. I maintained eye contact, not wanting to back down from the challenge, though I was aching to see Roza again. I felt Rose's anger grow and fought the feeling to shrink back. I knew Pavel couldn't necessarily feel it, but I could, and I wasn't going to let Pavel think he intimidated me.

"Then you know you're ignoring what I told him and what he told you," Rose said as I felt her take a step forward. Pavel lost our battle of wills and looked over to where Rose was standing. A few moments later, I looked, too.

My breath caught in my throat as I took her in. She was gorgeous, even when she was standing with her hands curled into fists. The dark maroon of her dress complemented her skin tone beautifully, making her already tanned skin seem more tanned. The scalloped halter top left enough of her shoulder exposed to where you saw my Mark proudly on display.

The keyhole cut deep and gave a tantalizing view of her cleavage, though not enough to really see anything, but I knew what was there. The dress stopped a few inches below her ass, leaving plenty of her thighs bare, making her legs look longer.

Her ass was pushed up by the heels she had on, making her long legs look as toned as I knew them to be. Her skin had a soft glow, and her hair fell softly in wavy curls over her shoulders. She didn't have much makeup on, not that she needed any, but it was enough to accentuate her long lashes and her large eyes. Even though her lips were pulled back in a snarl, they looked plump and delicious.

"Don't you dare Shift!" Lissa called from her bathroom. Rose seemed to ignore her as she growled low and stalked toward Pavel. The other Guardians in the room backed away from the enraged Novice, and to Pavel's credit, he did a decent job at hiding his fear, but you could smell it.

I quickly rushed forward when her eyes flashed lilac and grabbed her around the waist. She released another growl and fought against me, but I tightened my grip and started trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, Roza. He's just protecting you." I whispered, brushing my lips against her ear. I felt her pause in her struggling, but it was short-lived, so I tried again. "Come on, Roza. Calm down so I can truly appreciate how gorgeous you look right now."

She gave one last growl in Pavel's direction before turning in my arms to wrap hers around the back of my neck. Much to my surprise and pleasure, she pulled my lips down to hers and kissed me hungrily. Trying to keep in mind that Rose's adoptive uncle was in the room along with a few other men that were eyeing her hungrily, I kept my hands in somewhat respectable positions on her body.

"I missed you," I whispered breathlessly when she pulled away. She laughed.

"I wasn't even fifteen feet from you for the past two hours, how could you miss me?"

"You weren't in my line of sight, and Lissa told me I couldn't enter unless you were dying," I said jutting my lip out in a mock pout. She laughed again and gave me a peck on the lips before pulling away from me completely.

"You need to go get dressed, Comrade." She said pushing me toward my room. I complied, and as I passed one of the Guardians, he held out a red rose boutonniere. I took the rose and set it on my dresser before stripping down to my boxers.

I wasn't one to dress up, ever, really. Ivan had me in a suit a few times for the most formal of events, but I didn't like being uncomfortable especially if I might have to fight on short notice. To mitigate the fact that I hated feeling uncomfortable in a suit, Ivan caved and bought me a suit that was tailored specifically for me to fight in. It looked so good, Ivan got me two. One in black and one in a charcoal gray.

No matter how comfortable the suits were, though, I hated wearing them. However, I wanted to look good for Rose, though I have a feeling that I would look inadequate next to Rose no matter what I looked like.

I pulled on my gray slacks and buttoned them. I made my way into my bathroom and checked my chin, noticing my thick stubble and grabbed my razor to rid my face of it.

" _You better leave that on your face,"_ Rose told me suddenly. I dropped the razor in my shock but didn't pick it back up to comply with Rose's request, well, demand.

" _Yes, ma'am,"_ I responded in a husky voice.

I moved back into my bedroom and pulled my maroon dress shirt, one that would match Roza's dress, buttoning it up but leaving the top two buttons undone. I pulled on my suit jacket and quickly attached my boutonniere before moving out into the living area, tie in hand.

"Hey, Roza? Do you think you could help me with this tie?" I asked running my fingers through my hair, deciding to leave it down knowing how much Rose loved running her fingers through it. Let's face it, I loved it when she ran her fingers through my hair. I loved anything her fingers did.

"I'm sure I can manage." She said, eyeing me up and down. She unfolded her legs and rose gracefully from the couch, her hips swinging as she moved toward me. As soon as I laid eyes on her, my body froze under the intensity of her gaze.

Her eyes flooded with lilac as she approached me. Her fingers nimbly finished buttoning my shirt, her fingers setting my skin on fire as they brushed against me. She gently took the tie from my hand, never once breaking eye contact.

Eyes glowing lilac, she flung the tie around my neck, pulling me closer. I gripped her hips to steady myself and growled when she smirked. Her eyes finally left mine as she worked on the fabric.

"Are you going to be able to control your eyes during this dance?" She whispered.

"I thought I wasn't leering," I said quietly.

"I don't mean where your eyes are looking. I mean the wolf eyes, you know, the glowing gold. It usually happens when you're angry or aroused. Considering I'm standing right in front of you, I think it has less to do with anger and more to do with _arousal._ " She growled the last word as she tugged me closer by the tie.

I pulled her closer to me, growling as her body pressed up against mine. With her heels on, she was almost half a foot taller, allowing my lips access to her neck without bending as far down.

"You do know that your eyes do it, too, though if we're going to be honest, your eyes are a little more noticeable than mine," I said moving my hands up her back to tangle them in her soft locks.

"Don't you dare mess up her hair or her makeup, Dimitri Belikov." Lissa's sharp voice broke our lust induced bubble. I chuckled as Roza growled softly at the interruption but stepped back from her, double-checking that I hadn't messed up her hair or makeup. I did not want to induce the wrath of the small blonde vampire.

"Are you ready to dance?" I whispered down to Roza. She looked up at me through thick lashes and smirked.

"The real question, Comrade, is if you're ready for me to dance." I gulped and tried to prepare my mind and control my body as the image of Rose hot and sweaty on the dance floor flashed in my mind.

"As long as other men keep their grubby little paws off of you," I growled as I traced my Mark on her collarbone.

"I have a few pack members that will be there to make sure that happens, and if by some small possibility that they can't, my overprotective father sent a dozen men to help out." She said annoyed gesturing to the men standing around the room.

Pavel was still sending daggers in my direction, but the other men were eyeing Rose, forgetting about the angry young woman they'd encountered earlier. I pulled her close again rubbing my hands along her body possessively, openly declaring her as mine to all present.

"Then let's go," Lissa said with a smirk as she opened the door to usher us out. Two of the men stepped out into the hallway first, nodding to the Guardians that were stationed by the stairwells. Pavel stepped out directly in front of us. Lissa exited right behind us, and the rear was brought up by the remaining Guardians in the suite.

Rose grabbed my hand and led me out of the building, and like any good Beta, I followed.


	40. Chapter 40

**RPOV**

I could feel him staring at me from across the room. Dimitri's eyes had been practically glued to my ass all night. If it wasn't his eyes, it was his hands.

He was taking the guarding thing very seriously, almost too seriously for my liking. I loved that he was dedicated to protecting me, but I wanted him by my side all night. I'd begged him for an hour before he danced with me, and it was only one dance before he returned to his 'post' on the edge of the dance floor.

Abe's Guardians were meandering throughout the room, trying to act like normal Guardians when they were really just keeping an eye on me and my surroundings. Dimitri wasn't even trying to hide his guarding style. He was very blatantly watching me. It was a protective gaze, but I could feel it turn more and more hungry as the night progressed.

 _"Are you ready to get me out of this dress, yet, Comrade? After all, I bought this dress specifically so you could take it off."_ I said looking over at him across the dance floor. I was standing off to the side, my back toward a dark and empty corner. His eyes met mine looking up from my ass. His eyes glowed a bright gold as he began stalking toward me. _"Is that a yes?"_

 _"Absolutely."_ He growled as he reached me. He automatically reached out and pulled me flush against him. His muscles were hard as I ran my fingers underneath his suit jacket. He growled softly in my ear as I ran my hand down the front of his slacks.

Just then we both felt a Shift, and it was close. No Lycanthrope would Shift inside unless there was danger. Dimitri quickly pushed me behind him, crouching low, his claws out as he scanned the crowd. I looked around him, trying to tell which direction the Shift was coming from. Then we felt another Shift and another.

There were shouts and screams coming from all directions. There were multiple Shifts.

"Something's not right," Dimitri growled quietly.

"Dimitri, look," I said and nodded to the entrance. There was a light fog that was emanating from that direction. It hadn't been on when we first entered, and it hadn't been there a few minutes ago. It looked like it was coming from a machine, the fog swirling lightly as it stayed near the ground, never going higher than the tops of feet.

There were two wolves standing near the spreading fog, looking confused and disoriented. They looked young, and they were stumbling. Another student Shifted as the fog drifted around their feet. The first two wolves dropped as another student Shifted on the right side of the room.

"Wolfsbane," Dimitri whispered in shock. "We need to get you out of here, now."

Abe's Guardians had quickly surrounded me and were looking for the best exit out of here. They looked around to each of the other exits, but there was fog surrounding each of them.

"You guys will need to drag us out. We're going to Shift as soon as that fog reaches us, and there's nothing we can do to stop it." Dimitri said panicked. He was panicking because I was in danger and his greatest defense was actually hindering his job.

Wolfsbane forced us to Shift, but it quickly knocked us unconscious. It was especially helpful when hunting werewolves, but right now it put us at an extreme disadvantage.

"Contact Alberta, have her and Abe meet us at an exit, whichever one we decide to go out of. One of you go ahead of us and open the door. We're going to try to get out of here as quickly as possible." I said to the nearest Guardian before turning to Dimitri. "Perhaps if we're quick enough, we won't pass out."

One of the Guardians ran to the nearest door and held it open, looking back at us over the fog.

 _"Cover me, Comrade?"_ I asked, and Dimitri immediately took off his jacket and blocked as much of my front as he could as I unzipped my dress as quickly as I could. I liked this dress, and I wasn't going to let my Shift ruin it.

 _"Roza, where are your panties?"_ Dimitri asked, his voice sounding slightly strained, and I smirked up at his golden eyes but didn't answer his question. I Shifted quickly. As soon as my body was more wolf than girl, Dimitri started stripping, and he, too, Shifted not caring if someone saw his body, of course, my giant wolf form was blocking enough of him.

We nodded silently to each other and rushed as fast as we could toward the open door. The wolfsbane fog almost immediately clouded my senses, and my lungs started to burn as the tainted air filled them. I felt my body fight as it recognized the danger I would be in if I passed out.

I tried to hold my breath, but running at this speed kind of required me to breathe. I burst through the open door and stumbled a few steps as the wolfsbane was starting to dramatically affect my body. I put as much distance between myself and the door as I could before the fresh, untainted air fought to cleanse my system of the poison.

I turned to see Dimitri stumbling behind me. He didn't seem as affected by the poison as I did, but he was also twice my size, it would probably take a little longer for the poison to percolate through his blood.

 _"Are you okay, Roza?"_ He asked frantically, quickly rushing to my side. His fear and anxiety had skyrocketed as he watched me run through the fog, and it didn't help that I had started to stumble. I could sense Alberta and Abe, along with a company of Guardians, approaching us, but I focused on Dimitri, trying to calm his fear.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade. You worry way too much."_ I told him nuzzling up to his neck, reinforcing my reassurance.

 _"You were just poisoned, you're not fine!"_ He responded, pushing his body as close to mine as he could, rubbing his snout along the side of my face and neck.

"Get Rose's pack and get them back to the suite as quickly as possible!" Abe shouted to his Guardians. Running up to me, Abe threw his arms around my neck, pushing Dimitri out of the way as he did.

It was almost comical, seeing the usually tall Moroi look like a child compared to Dimitri and me. Abe didn't say anything, just kept hugging me. Alberta gave me a small smile trying to cover up the worry in her eyes. Eventually, Abe released me only to throw his arms around Dimitri's neck, though, he had to jump slightly to reach Dimitri's taller form.

"I've got your clothes." A Guardian said walking up with both mine and Dimitri's clothes.

 _"Thank you. We'll meet you guys back at the suite soon."_ I said before I turned and started running to the Guardian dorms, Dimitri close behind. _"Do you really think this was an attack on me?"_

 _"Why else would someone use wolfsbane? They were going after a Lycanthrope, and, right now, you're the only Lycanthrope that we know someone is trying to get to. Wolfsbane isn't deadly to Lycanthrope, you know that, but it would take you and me out of commission, making it much more likely that you were captured."_ Dimitri said looking around ensuring that no one else was around.

We were soon in the Guardian dorms, weaving our way through the narrow hallways and stairwells. I let Dimitri take the lead so he could open all the doors. No one was in the suite due to our incredibly fast pace. We shifted as soon as Dimitri had the door closed and, as soon as he had opposable thumbs, locked.

I moved into my room to pull on sweats and a hoodie and reemerged to see that Dimitri had done the same. He had also somehow packed his duffle.

"How'd you pack that quickly?" I asked.

"I packed earlier today when Lissa had locked you away from me." He said with a pout, it was cute.

"I'm sorry, Comrade. I'll try to keep myself available at all times for you." I said wrapping my arms around his neck. This was the first time in several hours that we were alone without a dozen pairs of eyes on us.

He growled quietly as his wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and he walked me into the kitchen and set me on the counter.

"As much as I would love to take you, right here, right now, we probably need to get you packed. I have a feeling that Abe isn't going to wait till the morning to leave." Dimitri said as he trailed kisses down my neck.

I groaned in annoyance and frustration but pushed him away from me anyway. I jumped down off the counter and pulled him by the hand into my room.

"How much should I pack?" I asked pulling out my suitcase and placing it on the bed.

"I'm not really sure. Pack outfits for a week. I'm assuming laundry will be available." Dimitri said sitting next to the suitcase watching me mill around the room.

I started with underwear, throwing enough for two weeks into my luggage. Next, pants. I threw jeans and shorts at Dimitri, and he neatly folded them and placed them in my suitcase. I did the same thing with tops and work out gear. Dimitri was such a better packer than I was.

If I had packed my bag, there would be no room left over for anything else, and I probably would have had to sit on top of the suitcase to zip it closed. However, when Dimitri packed it, there was enough room for another week's worth of clothes.

"Anything else?" He asked looking up from his handiwork. I stared at him for a second before throwing more clothes at him. He'd just finished with the additional items when there was a loud knock at the door. "Stay here."

The rough growl in his voice left no room for question. I might have been his Alpha, but right now he was the protective boyfriend, and there was no way anyone was going to get through him. I stepped partially into my closet, trying to stay somewhat hidden but in a position where I could help if Dimitri needed it.

"Who is it?" Dimitri called out as he crept closer to the door.

"Dimitri, it's the rest of our pack," I said sensing who was at the door. He didn't listen to me though and waited for the answer to come from the other side of the door.

"Belikov! Open the door and let me see my best friend." Lissa's command filtered into the suite. Dimitri quickly opened the door and ushered Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Mason, Abe, and Alberta into the suite. The dozen Guardians stayed in the hallway, stakes drawn and on high alert.

I stepped out of my room and was immediately rushed by Lissa. She threw her arms around me and hugged me fiercely. Eddie and Mason quickly took in my appearance and, finding nothing wrong, nodded sharply in my direction. Christian shook Dimitri's hand in a masculine way and thanked him.

"I probably don't need to say this, but I'm going to anyway: we're leaving tonight. You have thirty minutes to pack and be ready. We're going to meet in here and then head to the airstrip." Abe said. He looked anxiously at me but made no move toward me as Lissa was still wrapped around me.

Dimitri had moved behind me and placed his large hand on the small of my back.

"Liss, you need to go pack," I whispered gently in her ear. She gave me one last squeeze before rushing off to her room. Eddie, Mason, and Christian left with a couple Guardians each.

"Do you have any idea how this could have happened?" Dimitri asked after the door was closed. Abe and Alberta had moved to the couches. Abe just looked anxious while Alberta looked at me with worry.

"My best guess is another Guardian," Abe said, and Alberta sighed heavily. When Guardians took jobs at the academies, they vowed to protect the Moroi and the Novices alike. Within the wards, everyone is to be treated as a Moroi. Two Guardians had broken their vows, and it has resulted in dangerous situations for both Novices and Moroi.

"You don't know who it is yet?" I asked sitting across from him. Dimitri moved to stand behind me.

"Not yet, but I've got people working on it. They're going to keep their ears open here at St. Vlad's and in the States when we leave for Russia in 20 minutes." Abe looked exhausted.

"When was the last time you fed, Abe?" I asked concerned. He looked up at me with surprise in his eyes before shaking his head.

"I'm fine." He replied.

"That didn't answer the question," I said firmly. His face adopted a smirk as he looked at me.

"I know. I have a feeder on the plane, I'll eat when we're in the air." He said.

We sat in silence until everyone was back, our minds trying to come up with a plan. Someone was after me, and they wanted me alive. As soon as everyone and their luggage was in the suite, Abe escorted us to the airstrip, and after a tearful goodbye to Alberta, we were on our way to Russia.

 _"Are you excited to go home, Comrade?"_ I asked Dimitri as I sat in his lap after we'd reached cruising altitude.

 _"You're my home, Roza."_ He said placing a kiss on the end of my nose. _"Anywhere you are, is my home."_


	41. Chapter 41

**DPOV**

The flight to Russia was long. I'd spent the first few hours in an anxious state that Rose has desperately trying to calm. Eventually, she'd laid her head in my lap and pulled out her book to read. I pulled out my own, trying to focus on the printed words.

When reading didn't work, I opted for the repetitive, soothing action of running my hands through Rose's hair. She practically purred as my fingers scrapped her scalp and ran the entire length of her hair. With a smile on my face, I leaned my head back and fell into a much-needed slumber.

When I awoke, we were half an hour from decent and my hand was still running through Rose's hair. She'd put her book away at some point and was also waking from her nap.

"Did you sleep well, Roza?" I smiled down at her as she stretched.

"I would have slept better if you would have allowed me to get up and move to the couch, but every time I tried to move you'd growl at me." She said lovingly.

"Sorry?" I said.

"No, you aren't." Roza returned with a large smile.

"If it means having you close at all times, even when I'm asleep, then I'm definitely not sorry," I said returning her smile.

"Belikov, do you think you can let go of her long enough for her to buckle up so we can descend?" Abe called from a few rows up. It wasn't that he sounded upset, but he didn't sound too thrilled about me keeping his daughter all to myself. At least he wasn't openly hostile toward me anymore.

"I think I can manage," I grumbled and let Roza out of my lap.

"Does this make it better?" She asked grabbing my hand and linking our fingers together.

"For now. I'd much rather have your hot body pressed against mine, though." I whispered in her ear and watched in amusement as her eyes flashed lilac as she shuddered.

"You better hope the house in Russia has soundproofing." She growled.

"I have a feeling it won't really matter either way." I scoffed.

"You really want my father hearing us go at it like wild animals?" She smirked as, I'm sure, my eyes flooded with gold at the thought. We'd been pretty tame so far, as far as positions go, only really branching out to standing positions, but I was really looking forward to taking her from behind.

"You're the Alpha, I could always blame you. I can't refuse an order from my Alpha." I defended trying not to picture the way her ass would look in the air, ready for my cock.

"Like I'd have to order you to take me." She said while rolling her eyes.

"I could have the willpower," I answered indignantly, though my erection belied my statement.

"Yes, dear." She said while patting my thigh. I growled in response, but she just chuckled.

The plane touched down with barely a bump and we taxied to our terminal. It had been the autumn weather in Russia long before the equinox, but in Montana, it was just showing signs of the changing season. The familiarity of the Russian autumn was peaceful. I felt myself relax as I took it all in.

I missed Russia, I'm not going to lie, but being with Roza the past month and a half had really opened my eyes to the possibility of living elsewhere. Before, I wanted to do my job and survive, if I could, and eventually retire back to my hometown. Everything changed when I met Roza.

I'd survive as long as she would, there's no way I could live without her, and I'd settle down with her wherever she wanted to be. If she wanted to be in the States, I'd be in the States. If she wanted to move to Australia, I'd be moving to Australia. Hell, if she wanted to go to the moon, I'd build her a rocket.

I wonder whose coat our kids would inherit.

" _I hope they inherit your brown coat,"_ Roza said as we walked off the plane. _"There's no way I could keep their coats clean if they inherit mine."_

I chuckled but didn't respond. I'd always wanted a pup running around, but never found another Lycanthrope that wanted the same. Most Lycanthrope I've met didn't want kids because they didn't want to subject anyone to this kind of life. Does this mean that Roza wants to have a litter with me?

" _When did you first Shift, Roza?"_ I asked. Females usually Shifted before males did, other than my familial line, of course.

" _Family trait: I Shifted before I could walk."_ She responded with a small smile. _"From what my mother has told me, I got into a lot more trouble as a pup than as a human. I also spent more time as a pup than a human. Until she left me at St. Vlad's, I only slept and ate as a human."_

" _So, our kids could be running around the house as little pups?"_ I asked looking down at her in amusement.

" _When we have a litter of our own, you're going to be in charge of pup-proofing the entire house."_ She chuckled. I smiled widely at the thought of having our own litter one day. I could already see a pup with pure white fur and bright gold eyes bounding around the house.

Abe was motioning us quickly to two SUVs as our luggage was retrieved. I quickly popped back into Guardian Mode and scanned the surroundings quickly but thoroughly. Roza let out a sigh from beside me, but I ignored her for the time being. I needed to focus on keeping her safe. We were outside the wards and even though there was light outside, there wasn't going to be light for long.

By the time we reached the house, it would be dark. The roads here at night were much more dangerous than the roads in Montana. There aren't enough people living in Montana for Strigoi to heavily populate it, but even in the most rural parts of Russia, Strigoi lurk because they know people will be traveling.

While I wanted to sit with Roza in the back of the vehicle, I didn't want myself to get distracted and miss something important. I sent her an apologetic look as she pouted in the back but soon focused on our surroundings, relying on both my sense of smell and my sense of sight to warn me if there is any potential danger. I felt Roza stiffen, and I turned to her quickly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"There's an Alpha here, and he's hunting." She growled low. In any other setting, I would have thought it was sexy, but another Alpha hunting meant she'd be threatened.

"We need to leave, now," I told our driver. Rose would never back down from a challenge, and I know she could beat anyone who opposed her but taking the time to fight would mean risking valuable daylight.

Our driver took one look at me and put the car in drive. Those that were still outside their vehicles quickly rushed to them when we took off, and Abe, who was sitting in the seat beside Roza, looked confused.

"Why do we need to leave? Rose would have been able to defeat another Alpha." He said.

"Yes, I would, but that's not the point. The point is, I would have taken too much time beating whomever it was and we would have potentially lost half an hour of daylight." Rose replied looking out the window in the direction of the woods. I know my eyesight wasn't nearly as strong as hers, and I wonder what she saw when she looked into the crowded trees.

"Is all of Russia so heavily wooded?" She asked after she'd relaxed into the seat.

"No. Parts, yes, but not all of it." I chuckled looking ahead of us.

"Nothing good has happened in the woods." She muttered.

"I met you in the woods." I reminded her with a quick glance back.

"One good thing, Comrade, does not outweigh all the back things." She responded.

"You're going to be safe, Roza. I'm going to make sure of it." I said looking deep into her eyes. I needed her to understand that I'd risk everything to keep her alive.

A smile slowly crept over her face, and her eyes slowly flooded with lilac.

" _I don't like that look, Roza,"_ I said with a frown. _"That look usually means bad times for me."_

" _Not for long. It's just bad times until we find some privacy."_ She responded, licking her lips with a wink. I growled softly, and Abe gave me a concerned look before turning to Rose for an explanation.

Her eyes had returned to their normal dark brown so he didn't suspect anything.

"Everything okay?" He asked cautiously.

"Everything's perfect," Roza said with a cocky smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her and growled again. Abe glanced warily between the two of us before shrugging and turning to look out the window.

The sun was starting to set and the closer it came to the horizon, the more my anxiety grew.

"Dimitri, stop. You're going to give me a heart attack if you get any more anxious." Rose growled, her leg bouncing quickly up and down as her hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists. "You know how I don't like cars, and you're not helping."

"I'm sorry, Roza. I'll try to think about something else." I muttered, the anxiety growing further.

" _Think about me, Comrade."_ Rose assisted. _"Think about everything you want to be doing to me right now."_

" _If only you knew what I want to be doing to you right now,"_ I growled lowly in response.

" _Tell me."_ Her voice in my head was a breathless whisper, and when I looked back to see if her eyes were lilac, she had them closed, her head resting on the back of the seat.

" _You better keep your eyes closed."_ I chuckled.

" _What are you going to do about yours?"_ She asked.

" _I'll blame it on being able to see better,"_ I responded before really thinking about what I want to be doing to my Roza. _"Does this scenario have to be right now, in the car, or if I could be anywhere with you?"_

" _Let's start with the car and then branch out. Just pretend if we were alone in this car, what would you be doing to me right now?"_

" _Well, let's see. Our positions would be a little different. I'd be in the middle seat, but you'd be on top of me."_ I started.

" _Would clothes be involved?"_ She asked hurriedly.

" _Roza, if I could, I'd have you naked all the time,"_ I responded with just the right amount of lust in my voice. I pulled my duster around me more, trying to cover my painful erection. I kept my eyes trained on the passing scenery as not to give away my obvious arousal but still maintaining vigilance.

" _So that's a no. What would I be doing on top of you?"_

" _You'd be facing the front of the vehicle, your hands braced on the two front seats. Your moans would fill the car as I pounded into you, making your pussy dripping wet. I'd go just slow enough for you to find immense pleasure, but not fast enough to make you cum."_ Her groan only came through my mind, though I'd imagine it took a lot of self-control to make sure her throat didn't release one either.

" _Tell me more."_ She demanded, and I happily complied.

" _You'd be begging me to end your suffering, but I know the longer I prolong your pleasure, the longer your walls will shudder around me when I let you release. I'd command for you to keep screaming my name until you were hoarse and your body covered in sweat."_ I continued as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

I know neither Abe nor our driver could smell it, but Roza's scent was getting stronger, and I could smell myself in her scent. It was driving me crazy not being able to act out my fantasy. The image of her smooth back in front of me and my cock glistening with her juices played in my mind. My fingers ached to connect with her clit, and my hands begged me to take her breasts in them, if only for a few seconds.

My body longed for hers.

" _Only when I knew you were ready would I apply pressure to your beautiful little clit. Slowly, at first, and then picking up speed as your flutterings begin. That's honestly my favorite part of you cumming. When you're so close, your body prepares itself for the intensity of it all. Your walls pulse around my dick in quick bursts before you begin milking my cock for all its worth."_

" _Would you give it to me?"_ She asked breathlessly.

" _I'd give you everything I have, Roza. My cock would be buried so deep inside you I'd need a map to find my way out."_ I concluded as my cock twitched. I needed us to get to the house. I needed to find the nearest surface that I could fuck Rose on, and we needed to be naked so I could make this happen.

"How much longer until we get there?" Rose asked, her voice a little higher in pitch than usual. I couldn't help but smirk at her impatience, though I'm not much better.

"We're pulling up to the property now," Abe said, leaning forward to see out the windshield more.

In front of us was a large house, though I didn't spend much time admiring it before the car came to a stop. Rose and I rushed from the car and bound up the steps, not really caring where we were going.

"Up the stairs, take a right, second door." I heard Abe yell after us.

We followed his instructions, and I had Roza's shirt off before the door closed completely.


	42. Chapter 42

**RPOV**

My clothes had long been taken care of. Dimitri had my shirt off before the door closed completely, and my pants were quick to follow. I'm pretty sure that my bra and panties were in pieces on the floor, but I was too focused on Dimitri to really care.

Dimitri hadn't given me a chance to get any of his clothes off of him so he was still fully dressed. Before I could voice the inequality, Dimitri had picked me up and thrown me on the bed. I squealed as I bounced on the plush mattress. I tried to go to him, but he quickly pushed me back down.

His name was on the tip of my tongue, ready to scold him for denying me my right to touch his naked body when it died as two of his fingers entered me roughly. He growled at my wetness and slammed his lips into mine before my scream could come out.

His tongue forced its way into my mouth, and I moaned at the warm sensation. His thumb was pressing gently into my clit, pulsing every few seconds causing me to squirm. He slowly withdrew his fingers from my vagina, though I did try to chase them with my hips.

He pulled back and hovered over my naked body still fully clothed. The look he gave me froze me to my spot. It was animalistic. His eyes were bright gold with lust, and his lips pulled back into the smirk before he slowly licked my juices off his fingers. As my taste coated his tongue, he moaned.

At his moan I started squirming, attempting to reach up and remove his shirt, but he gently knocked my hands away. I looked up at him and pouted, to which he chuckled.

"Stay still." He commanded before rolling off the bed. He slowly walked around to the end of the bed, his eyes never leaving my body. I started to wriggle at the intensity of his gaze, hoping he'd come back. "I said stay still."

The growl in his voice caused me to whimper.

"Dimitri, come back. I need you." I begged.

"You'll have me soon enough, Roza. Be patient."

Finally, he began to take his shirt off. He did so slowly, making me writhe in my need to touch him. I released a strangled moan as his fingers began to fiddle with his belt. I felt like I had the first time he'd Shifted in front of me, only this time I knew what was waiting for me, and I wanted it more than ever. He didn't go as slowly as he had when he had been removing his shirt, but it still took too much time in my opinion.

He slowly climbed onto the end of the bed and crawled his way toward me. He grabbed my ankles and turned them in such a way that caused me to flip to my stomach. He placed a large hand in the center of my back before I had a chance to kneel in front of him.

I turned my head to the side, trying to figure out what he was doing. He gently moved my hair to one side of my neck and trailed his fingers down the long line of Molnija and Grom.

"So beautiful. So perfect." He muttered. My body shuddered under the delicate contact as I waited for him to do something. I felt his body shift before his lips landed on my left shoulder blade. He placed slow hot kisses all down my spine while his hands traced the curves of my body.

"Dimitri. Please." I whimpered as his hands brushed the sides of my breasts. He never paused in his kisses. His hands slid between my body and the mattress and began kneading my breasts softly.

When I tried to raise my ass again, he bit down.

"Stay still." He growled against my back. "I'll move you where I want you."

I released a growl of frustration but waited rather impatiently as he continued to let his lips explore my skin. At first, his lips against my skin felt amazing, but soon they turned into painful reminders that his cock wasn't buried inside me yet. It wasn't that I wasn't enjoying it, but my body ached to be connected to his.

"Dimitri!" I moaned. Instead of doing something more to my body, he retracted his hands from my breasts. I released an angry, frustrated growl when he didn't return his hands to my body, and once again raised my ass as I tried to gain friction. His hand came down harshly across my ass, and I let out a pleasure filled moan as I buried my head in the pillow.

"Stay still, or I'll make you stay still." I couldn't help the scoff that escaped my throat which was rewarded with another pleasurable smack to my ass. I felt him move off the bed for a split second before he returned and grabbed my hands.

Before I could ask what he was doing, his belt was wrapped around my wrists and he'd somehow managed to secure it to the headboard. Now there was no way that I would flip over to face him, but I could still wriggle my body underneath his.

I growled as he returned to his slow kisses. His thumbs rubbed circles on my upper thighs as he added little nips to his pattern of kisses. I bit into the pillow to smother my frustrated moans, but let the growl take over my body as I felt Dimitri smirk against my skin.

"Are you ready for me, Roza?" He whispered.

"Fuck, yes!" I exclaimed and began wriggling underneath him. I heard him chuckle but was too focused on his hands as they worked their way to my core. I felt like if he touched me now I'd fall apart in his hands.

His hands abruptly gripped the front of my thighs, and he lifted my lower half off the mattress causing me to release a squeal. I wrapped my legs around his hips to steady myself and finally felt his throbbing dick against my ass. He shimmied his way a little further up on the bed, resting on his knees, before raising my hips and guiding his massive cock into my dripping pussy.

We both released a contented groan as I slid further onto him.

"So tight." He moaned when he settled. He had one hand placed on either hip as he kneeled behind me.

He slowly moved his hips upward, pushing further into me, making my back arch slightly.

"Faster!" I demanded, but he ignored me and continued at his pace. I growled and tilted my hips further back.

He released an animalistic groan as he slid further into me as I called out his name. I could feel every ridge of his cock as it glided inside me and moaned every time he filled me to the brim, but then he stilled.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked in a frustrated voice.

"I want you to know I have the power here." He said stroking my back lovingly. "Your pleasure rests in my hands as you rest on my cock."

"You don't think I know that?" I growled trying to make him move, but he gripped my hips effectively stopping their movement.

"I think you know that, but I'm showing you how easily I can halt your pleasure and leave you high and dry." He responded slowly pulling out of me.

"Don't you dare!" I exclaimed wrapping my legs around him, my heels digging into his ass before he could pull out completely. "I could command you as your Alpha."

"You could, but if you were going to do that, you would have already." He stated in a cocky tone. He was right. I would never command him to have sex with me, that just isn't right.

"You're right, but, please, fuck me!"

"As you wish." I could practically hear the smirk on his face as he rammed his cock back inside me. His tempo was incredible. His hips slammed into mine as his fingers dug into my thighs.

With every thrust, my screams and moans got louder and higher in pitch.

"That's right, Roza. Scream for me." Dimitri growled.

"Harder," I demanded, and he complied. I could feel the flutterings begin, and I knew Dimitri felt it when he groaned.

Dimitri's hedonistic grunts filled my ears as my body was wracked with pleasure. I screamed out his name as my walls clamped around his cock. He released a strangled moan, and I could feel him trying to stave off his orgasm so he could give me another one, but this one was already so powerful, I needed to feel his cum inside me.

 _"Cum,"_ I commanded him, my mouth otherwise occupied with moans. I released another scream as I felt his cock tense against my pulsing walls.

Dimitri released a noise that was a mix between a sigh and a moan, and it was the sexiest thing that I'd ever heard. He leaned back to rest on his hands, but that only caused the angle to change which produced another moan from me.

"God, I love this view." He said after catching his breath. His dick was still inside me as I lay whimpering in my aftershocks. The longer he sat there admiring the view, the harder his dick became.

"Please, Dimitri, let me touch you," I begged, pulling weakly at my restraint.

"I don't know, I kind of like it this way. I'm not as distracted by your hands on me so I can worship you properly." He said, the smirk evident in his voice as he trailed his hands along my body. I couldn't manage a growl so I released a moan.

I didn't have the energy to move. My body was completely relaxed and pliable. I wasn't extremely disappointed when Dimitri pulled out of me and moved to release my hands. Even after my hands were free, I continued to lay there.

"Are you okay, Roza?" He asked from somewhere in the room.

"What did you do to me, Comrade?" I asked tiredly. "I can barely move."

"Mmm, I did you good then." He said sliding into the bed beside me. With more effort than I care to admit, I turned on my side to face him.

He was lying on his side facing me, his head propped up on his hand as his elbow rested on the bed. He looked carefree, not one anxious muscle in his body, though his face held a smug smirk.

"Don't look so smug." I groaned, and he only answered with a bigger smirk.

He didn't say anything as he leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead. I sighed in contentment before he helped me under the blankets. He made sure all the curtains were closed before joining me in the warmth of the bed again.

He placed an arm under my neck and it came around to rest on my waist. His other hand was gently rubbing my thigh that was slung over his hips. I placed my head on his shoulder and one hand above his heart and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

I awoke to soft kisses being placed on the back of my neck.

"Mmm…Dimitri." I mumbled, cuddling back into his arms. His arms tightened around me as the kisses continued.

"Did you sleep well, Roza?" He questioned sleepily.

"Like a rock," I responded turning in his arms to face him. Even though his eyes still held sleep, they glowed gold. "Did you sleep well?"

"Each night with you is better than the last." He answered.

"That was cheesy, Comrade," I said rolling my eyes but rewarding him regardless with a peck on the lips.

"Would you rather me lie to you?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Like you could lie to me." I scoffed.

"I believe your exact words were 'stupid Lycanthrope.'" He said with a smirk.

"Did you just call me stupid?" I asked pushing onto his back and moving to straddle him.

"What? Of course not! Those were your words." He insisted, placing his hands on my thighs.

"I'm pretty sure you just called me stupid," I said feigning anger. I fought off my smirk as his mouth opened and closed, pushing out confused noises. "Aren't you going to correct yourself, Comrade?"

"I didn't say you were stupid, Roza. I was using your words from the day we met." He fumbled out. I narrowed my eyes at him and almost broke the charade when panic filled his eyes. "I didn't mean to call you stupid, love. You're not stupid. You're extremely intelligent and beautiful. There's no way you're stupid. I'm stupid, not you. I'm stupid for accidentally calling you stupid when you obviously aren't. You're so beautiful and so smart."

"And don't you forget it." I purred finally, halting his ramblings. It was cute. His eyes narrowed up at me as he realized my game.

"You were never angry." He stated. I only smiled in response, leaning over his perfectly sculpted chest. I started placing light kisses on his jaw causing him to relax. "You're a little minx, Roza."

"You know you love me," I muttered against his neck. I could feel his erection growing against my ass, and I got a moan out of him as I wriggled my ass against it. I slowly brought his wrists above his head, toward the headboard.

He didn't suspect anything as I held him down with one hand. Thankfully, he'd left his belt on the bed last night.

"I'm much too smart for you," I said smugly as I attached his hands to the headboard before climbing off of him and moving to the bathroom.

"Roza!" He growled after me, but I was already getting in the shower.


	43. Chapter 43

**DPOV**

I can't believe she left me here tied to the bed. I could hear her humming in the shower and tried to control my body as the thought of hot water running down her hot body invaded my mind.

 _"Roza,"_ I growled again.

 _"Yes, Comrade?"_ She asked as her laughter drifted into the bedroom.

 _"Could you come untie me so I can join you in that shower?"_

 _"Nah, you enjoyed yourself last night, I'm enjoying myself now."_

 _"I seem to remember you enjoying yourself, too."_ I retorted.

 _"You're going to be enjoying yourself soon."_ She said. I looked down my body toward the bathroom door as I heard the shower turn off. The longer I waited for Roza to come out, the harder I became.

By the time she emerged, completely naked, I was standing tall.

"You excited to see me?" She smirked eyeing my dick hungrily, causing me to growl.

"Roza, if you don't get on my dick and ride me soon, I'll probably end up breaking this headboard," I growled pulling at the belt that bound my hands.

"I had no intention of riding you, Dimitri." She said walking up to me. I gulped as she licked her lips. My eyes were trained on her glowing lilac eyes as she took in my twitching cock.

Just as her hand reached my base, there was a knock at the door. I released a loud threatening growl as she pulled the sheets over my lower half, not that it hid much. She grabbed my shirt from the floor and pulled it on before opening the door slightly.

"We're about to go over all the information we have, so we need you two downstairs soon." I heard Abe's voice from the hallway. Rose nodded sharply before closing the door. As she turned back me, she had an apologetic look on her face.

"No. You fix this." I growled nodding toward my erection.

"The last time you said that you wouldn't let me." She pouted. Her lip jutted out in the most adorable way, and if I wasn't tied up, I'd take that lip in between my teeth.

"Believe me, Roza. I will let you take care of this now." I growled. She was walking closer to me, my shirt fell to her mid-thigh, but she might as well have been naked with the way my body reacted to the sight of her.

She gave me a dazzling smile and wrapped her soft hands around my dick. I groaned at the sensation. She moved to straddle my legs as her hands moved slowly up and down my shaft. I wanted to watch her as she worked me, but I knew if I watched her mouth surround me that I'd cum instantly.

Instead of watching her, I laid my head back down and focused on the sensations she was providing me. One of her hands lifted off my shaft and replaced itself on my balls. She rolled each testicle between her nimble fingers.

"Tell me what you want, Dimitri." She whispered, her lips against my thigh.

"I want your mouth, Roza." I gasped as she tightened her hand around my shaft. "Mmm…I want…I want your mouth on my dick."

I moaned as her hot tongue ran along the underside of my shaft. She left the head untouched, depriving me of the most astounding sensations she could have given me.

"God, Roza, suck me off already," I demanded.

"Patience, Comrade." She mumbled before she continued her sexual torture. I should have seen this coming after what I'd done to her last night. I tried to focus on the pleasure she was giving me and not looking forward to the end goal, but the more she licked, the more I wanted to cum in her mouth.

The longer she continued her licking, the louder I groaned. I could feel the tension at the base of my shaft, but she withheld just enough stimulation to stave off my orgasm.

"Roza," I growled pulling at my restraints. She finally put her mouth around my cock and hummed in a questioning manner. I didn't say anything as her humming made my mind go blank. When she'd growled as she sucked me off yesterday, it took all that I had to not fall apart.

Ever so slowly she sank further down on my dick. I moaned as she pulsed her tongue on the underside of my shaft. My hips bucked off the bed as she squeezed my balls causing my cock to hit the back of her throat. She growled, like she had yesterday, when the head bumped the back of her throat.

I opened my eyes, observing the goddess between my thighs. Her damp hair was hanging in a curtain around the side of her face as her eyes were transfixed on my dick. As if knowing my eyes were now open, she looked up at me. Her eyes were glowing lilac that seemed to get brighter as she met my gaze.

A strangled moan escaped my panting mouth as she smirked around my cock. Her plump lips looked so perfect as they encircled my member in such a sensual way. Her hand tightened on my sac as she hollowed out her cheeks, sucking me further into her mouth.

She maintained eye contact as she sucked harder. I felt my whole body tense the moment before it fell apart. Her eyes flashed in accomplishment as I flooded her mouth with my cum. I was faintly aware that I called out her name as I came, but I was too focused on her gorgeous face.

I groaned as a little of the creamy liquid leaked out of the corners of her mouth. My head fell back on the pillow as I tried to catch my breath. Her mouth released my dick, and I heard her swallow a few times.

"You okay, Comrade?" She asked amused.

"You're amazing." I breathed. I felt her release my hands and opened my eyes to see her hovering over me.

"I know I am." She said with a smile.

"And humble," I added. She only smiled at me before heading toward the door. I quickly leapt out of bed and pulled on my pants before following her.

In our haste to disrobe each other, we didn't grab our luggage, so everyone would have to just be okay with how we're dressed. We managed to find our way to the dining room where everyone else was already seated.

"Do I even want to know what was taking you two so long?" Abe sighed eyeing our attire. I could feel the smirk on Rose's face as she stood in front of me.

"Probably not." She responded. I grabbed her waist and led her to an open chair beside Abe and took the one next to her. As I sat down, I noticed Pavel in the corner eyeing me disapprovingly.

"Pavel," Rose said harshly. I flinched at the authoritative tone she produced. I'd never been on the receiving end of her Alpha, but I knew I'd never want to be. I felt infinitesimally better when the rest of the pack flinched at her tone, also.

Pavel's eyes left me and softened upon seeing Rose before steeling again as he saw her in my shirt. I heard a low growl emanate from Roza's chest, and her eyes glowed lilac in a threatening manner.

"Pavel," Abe said more kindly. "Leave Belikov alone. He's okay."

"You might be okay with him, but I'm not." He responded, returning his eyes to me. I felt myself tense with Roza. I couldn't move fast enough as she lunged for Pavel. She leapt across the table, over Mason and Eddie, who tried to grab her, and threw a punch at Pavel's chest.

I followed her as quickly as possible as I felt her inner wolf fighting to break free; I didn't get to her fast enough. The room was large enough for her to Shift without breaking anything or harming anyone, other than Pavel.

She'd placed a paw on his chest and was in his face growling menacingly. Pavel looked terrified as he looked up at Rose.

"Roza," I said softly placing a hand on her shoulder. Her muscles were tense under my palm, but I stroked the soft fur in hopes of calming her down.

"Pavel, I told you Dimitri was okay, you should have listened," Abe said, his voice a little shaky as he watched his daughter hover threateningly over his personal Guardian.

"Roza, look at me," I commanded. Her ear twitched in my direction, and she didn't turn for a few moments. Eventually, her lilac eyes met mine, and her body relaxed. I placed a kiss to her wet nose while she licked the side of my face. _"Let him go, milaya."_

She paused another moment before taking her paw off Pavel's chest, never once breaking eye contact with me.

"Can we begin?" Abe asked finally. I turned to him and nodded. Rose laid down on the floor, her head still higher than any seated person. I decided to stay close to her, so I settled myself in the circle of her paws.

She moved one of her paws across my lap and pulled me closer to her body. I calmly stroked her paw and leaned back into her chest. I nodded at Abe to begin.

"I'm not sure that all of you know this yet, but we have determined that Lissa was not the target of the recent Strigoi activity. Her presence merely had to deal with Rose. We believe that Rose is the Alpha involved in a prophecy. We don't know how the prophecy started, but whether she is the Alpha or not, she's being targeted."

"Then why are we here?" Christian asked. "Lissa couldn't tell me much because she didn't know much."

"We're here because Strigoi know where Roza is, at least when she was back at the academy. Victor has a daughter that attends the school, she was most likely the person that broke into Lissa's room because it would have been too difficult to break into Roza's." I provided.

"So, we came to Russia?" Eddie asked confused.

"We came to a different warded location. I gave Rose the option of where to go, but she chose Russia." Abe said glancing over at Roza and me. "The prophecy says that the state of the Alpha when they mature with determine their fate. Should the Alpha be Pricolici, they'll more than likely eliminate the entire Moroi population. Should the Alpha remain pure, they'll more than likely eliminate the Strigoi and Pricolici populations."

"So, what you're saying is that we just need to keep Rose protected for the next six months," Mason said raising an eyebrow.

"Pretty much. We also need to find Dashkov and the person he's working for. The only thing we have to go on is that the Strigoi he's working for is female, but I don't know enough about the Strigoi hierarchy to know who it might be."

 _"We need to go hunting soon, anyway,"_ Roza said.

"Didn't you go hunting a couple days ago?" Derek asked from his spot on the wall.

 _"Yes, but fighting off wolfsbane took a lot of energy. The full moon is tomorrow night, and I can feel the Darkness growing. I need to be strong enough to hold it back."_ Roza replied tightening her hold on me yet again. I could feel her anxiety increase as she mentioned her Darkness.

I know she didn't like talking about it with me, but I really needed to do a better job at asking her when it's getting too much for her to handle.

"I suggest that you all spend the rest of the days unpacking and settling in. I'll figure out where the best place for you to hunt around here. I do want to ask, though, when you do hunt, could you possible interrogate before you kill? You'll provide a lot more fear than my Guardians will and will most likely gather more information about who's after you." Abe said.

"Are we sure it's safe enough for Roza outside of the wards?" I asked.

 _"How else am I going to feed, Comrade."_ Roza scoffed.

"I can always go out and hunt for us. We all share the same power." I offered.

 _"I'm not letting you out of the wards without me. That goes for all of my pack. Should the Strigoi find out you're part of my pack, you could be taken as leverage, and I'm not going to let that happen."_ Rose growled with finality.

"I'm not comfortable with you being outside of the wards," I told her. "It's not just Strigoi that are after you. This person, whoever it is, has connections. She has Moroi working for her, and she's not hell-bent on bringing you in alive. She's hoping to Turn you, but as long as you don't live to see your eighteenth, she'll have succeeded. I'm not risking that."

"What do you suggest then, Dimitri?" Abe asked leaning forward. He looked like he agreed with me, but he also knew that Roza needed to feed.

"Perhaps your Guardians could herd Strigoi here, close enough to the wards to not be a threat to Roza?" I suggested. "Or they could drain them after killing them and bring the blood back here. I don't know if we can get strength from the blood if it's not straight from the source, but it's worth a shot if it keeps Rose safe."

 _"Isn't it my job to keep you safe?"_ Rose sighed and laid her head down across my lap, wrapping her body around me.

 _"We keep each other safe, Roza,"_ I responded, smoothing her fur back. _"I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe, and you're going to like it."_


	44. Chapter 44

**RPOV**

 _"You can't keep me locked up forever, Comrade."_ I sighed.

"No, but I can until you turn eighteen." He responded immediately. _"Besides, I like keeping you locked up."_

 _"You're playing a dangerous game, Comrade,"_ I growled up at him. We'd finished our meeting with our pack and Abe, but Dimitri and I had remained on the floor in the dining room. My body was wrapped around him as he sat in between my front paws.

 _"You enjoyed it, admit it. You enjoyed releasing control to me. Putting your pleasure in my hands."_ He purred in my mind. The chuckle that rumbled in his chest counteracted the growl that rumbled in mine. _"Admit it."_

 _"I refuse,"_ I responded stubbornly.

"I can always get you to admit it." He mused. I lifted my head out of his lap and looked down at him. Before I knew what was happening, Dimitri had moved onto my back. I craned my neck as far back as I could and saw him just lying there.

 _"What are you doing?"_ I asked confused. His body was just as long as my back as he laid on his stomach, his head resting on my neck. He ran a hand gently down my fur. The gentleness of his movement caused my body to shiver.

"I'm preparing myself." He said softly watching his hand move over my fur.

 _"Preparing yourself for what?"_ I asked cautiously. He didn't respond but I felt his inner wolf tense. I tried to get up and shake him off me before he Changed, but I was too slow. He'd lulled me into a relaxed state.

As he Shifted, his body weight held me down. He kept a paw on my ribcage as he stood over me.

 _"Dimitri,"_ I growled snapping up at him.

 _"Admit it, Roza. Admit that you like it when I'm in control."_ He crooned as he leaned down to nip at my ear. He buried his snout in the fur of my neck. I moaned as his breath fanned across my neck, and his teeth scraped across my skin.

 _"Never,"_ I responded shakily. Dimitri moved his entire body over mine, his paw still holding me down. I fought harder, but I was trapped underneath his massive body. _"Dimitri."_

 _"Admit it, Roza, and I'll let you go."_ He said acknowledging my whimper with a smirk. _"Though, I do like the position I'm in."_

 _"Fine."_ I huffed.

 _"'Fine' what?"_ He prompted.

 _"I'll admit I did enjoy being tied down by you,"_ I said with a sigh.

 _"You make it sound like you didn't enjoy it."_ He chuckled.

 _"You're a pain,"_ I grumbled but licked his chest anyway.

 _"I'm your pain, though. You Marked me."_ He retorted as he moved off of me. I stood and shook out my fur.

 _"I'm aware,"_ I stated moving toward the front door. We were in a hurry last night so I didn't really get a great look at the house, but it was huge. It was large enough for us to walk around in wolf form without bumping into anything.

Derek appeared out of the doorway that went into the kitchen.

"Are you guys going for a run?" He asked looking up at Dimitri's form, eyeing him in an appraising way. Dimitri came up beside me and nudged the side of my face in a loving manner.

 _"I'd planned on it. I don't know what Dimitri is doing."_ I answered him.

 _"I'm going with you,"_ Dimitri interjected immediately.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Derek asked watching Dimitri's reaction closely. Dimitri looked over to me as I contemplated my decision.

 _"You don't mind, do you, Comrade?"_ I looked back at him.

 _"As long as you can keep up,"_ Dimitri answered Derek before opening the door for me to walk through.

"Thanks," Derek said moving out of the house after us. It was mid-day. The sun was shining bright and the warmth it provided made my body shiver.

I turned away from Derek as he started to undress. Dimitri watched him carefully, making sure his body didn't have any sort of reaction to mine. I rolled my eyes at his protectiveness, but he didn't see it.

I tensed as Derek Shifted. He was a rogue Alpha, and he was a threat to me. I mean, not really, but my Alpha didn't think so. Dimitri positioned himself between Derek and me and growled lowly.

 _"Dimitri. He's not a threat."_ I said gently. I peeked around Dimitri's body and saw Derek backing away. His fur was pitch black and his eyes bright green. His paws were lighter than the majority of this body, must be genetic.

 _"He's an Alpha, Roza. He's a threat to you and the pack."_ Dimitri responded as the hair on the back of his neck rose.

 _"He's not going to try anything, Comrade. I can take him in a fight, and my pack is too strong for him to take control of."_ I told him nipping at his tail that was curved upward.

 _"Fine."_ Dimitri gave one last growl before nudging me in a direction. I rolled my eyes but started running.

I was surprised that Derek managed to keep up enough. We did slow our pace to a speedy jog, but it was still impressive that he managed to go for an hour at that pace. Dimitri and I were just getting warmed up, but Derek was about to collapse.

 _"Do you want to spar with us?"_ I asked Derek as we moved to an open space beside the house. He looked shocked that we were going to continue, but moved opposite me. _"Comrade, do you think that we should get Eddie and Mason out here so they can know how to fight Lycanthrope and Pricolici? They don't really teach it at St. Vlad's."_

 _"Sure thing."_ He sent to the two of us before sending me a private response. _"Are you going to be alright by yourself?"_

 _"You worry too much, Dimitri. I'll be fine."_ I responded, rubbing my face against his. He licked my nose and dashed back to the house.

 _"Can I ask you something, Rose?"_ Derek asked as he cooled off. His tongue was hanging out, and he was panting hard.

 _"Sure,"_ I responded, stretching my legs out.

 _"When will you start accepting new pack members?"_ He asked lowering his head.

 _"I'm not sure. Probably once I mature. Dimitri is hesitant to let me out of the wards here, and if I add another Alpha I'll need to feed much more often than I do now."_ I told him.

 _"Are you sure it's not because of Dimitri?"_ He asked quietly.

 _"Kind of. It's not just my pack. It's our pack. All pack members need to be okay with the decision. I know there's nothing you can do to make Dimitri like you more because Dimitri doesn't like any male that's close to me, but you'll be around enough for him to get used to you."_ I chuckled. _"I don't want to cause any strife in my pack so it won't be up to just me to decide whether you get to join the pack or not."_

 _"You've got a really good pack, Rose."_ He told me after a moment of thought. _"They're extremely loyal to you. More loyal than most pack members."_

 _"We aren't exactly a normal pack."_ I pointed out.

 _"It's not just that. You've had an Alpha submit to you. That's loyalty. He's given up being an Alpha forever because he wanted to be dedicated to you and only you. That's unheard of. You're a kind and caring Alpha; that's almost unheard of."_

 _"I'm just trying my best,"_ I said quietly.

 _"You're doing a wonderful job."_ He said gently.

 _"Thank you,"_ I said before I felt Dimitri coming back. Mason and Eddie were quickly following up, working hard to keep up with his large form.

"Are you going to show us how to beat you?" Mason asked excitedly.

 _"Probably not. I'm going to show you how to fight us so you'll know how to take down a Pricolici or a hostile Lycanthrope. You probably won't be able to beat me, but it's something to strive toward."_ I said laughing, well, as much of a laugh that a wolf could manage.

"I guess that's better than nothing," Eddie mumbled looking just as disappointed as Mason.

"Where do we start?" Mason asked getting serious.

 _"We'll start with weak spots. These are the spots you should aim for. It will take a lot more work to get to the heart of a Pricolici than it would be to just decapitate them with your stake."_ Dimitri took over. I forget sometimes that he's more used to teaching than I am, though I have been teaching him more than he has been teaching me, in some aspects at least. _"Do you mind?"_

Derek shook his head and stepped toward Dimitri. I rolled my eyes hoping that Dimitri wouldn't take this too far. Dimitri moved closer toward Derek, mischief dancing in his eyes.

 _"Comrade,"_ I growled warningly.

 _"Calm down, Roza. I'm not going to hurt him."_ He huffed before turning back to Eddie and Mason. _"The points you need to aim for are, obviously, the neck but also the belly."_

 _"It would probably be safer and much easier for you to work as a team. It's hard to take a Pricolici head on, but if you can come in from the side, you'll have a much better chance at getting out alive."_ I stepped in so Dimitri could demonstrate.

Faster than I'm sure either Mason or Eddie had seen a Lycanthrope move, Dimitri had attached his teeth to the skin around Derek's neck. Derek's eyes flashed in fear as Mason and Eddie looked on in awe.

 _"Take note of where Dimitri's teeth are, his canines in particular. These points are where you'd want to get your stake in as far as possible. It won't kill a Pricolici instantly, but it will give you enough time to hack off a majority of the head. It will kill a Lycanthrope within minutes."_ I explained maintaining eye contact with Dimitri.

Mason and Eddie stepped closer to where Dimitri remained, his teeth pressed precariously against Derek's flesh. I saw Eddie stare at the placement for a few moments, taking note of where he'd strike. Mason calculated it, too, but he wasn't as meticulous as Eddie.

"What about the belly?" Eddie asked after stepping away from the two Lycanthrope. Dimitri, rather reluctantly, released Derek's neck and sat back on his haunches.

 _"That's something I can't demonstrate. I'm too big."_ Dimitri stated. Mason looked at me expectantly.

 _"The only way for another Lycanthrope to get access to the belly is for the offender to jump over them. Your best shot would be to go for the belly. You will be able to get underneath the Pricolici rather easily, especially if you're teaming up."_ I instructed. _"Once you're under them, just stab into the fleshy part. Do you mind, Comrade?"_

Dimitri quickly flopped onto his side and allowed me access to his belly.

 _"Here would be the best place to aim for,"_ I said as I nipped at the soft flesh right under his rib cage. _"There's no good way to get to the heart without having to go through a few organs, but if you can get the right angle you can pierce it."_

 _"Roza, I'm going to need you to move,"_ Dimitri said softly. I could feel his arousal growing as I continued to stand over him.

 _"What if I don't want to move, Comrade?"_ I asked him. His head whipped around to look at me. It was cute, his head upside down, as he bared his teeth in my direction, but I could see his eyes flash a brighter gold.

 _"I will not hesitate to take you, right here, right now."_ He said growling.

 _"As a wolf?"_ I asked huskily.

 _"Absolutely."_ He responded wriggling beneath me.

 _"Hmm…That's tempting, Comrade."_ I purred nipping at his belly again.

"I think I enjoyed Dimitri's demonstration better, Rose," Mason said breaking the lustful gaze I was getting from Dimitri. "I didn't feel as awkward when Derek was one move away from death. This is one move away from something I don't want to see."

Dimitri quickly scampered out from under me before I could take full advantage of the situation.

 _"You're no fun, Mason,"_ I grumbled.

"I'm not sorry," Mason responded.

"Neither am I," Eddie said. Derek, smartly, stayed silent. Dimitri narrowed his eyes at the two Novices and moved closer to my side.

It was every Pair's right to claim each other in front of the other pack members, but I wasn't about to let that happen. I highly doubt that's what Dimitri has in mind anyway. He stepped right up next to me and nuzzled his snout into the fur on my neck.

His breath tickled my ear making it twitch. He took the opportunity to nip at the twitching ear causing me to moan.

"Alright. We get it!" Mason exclaimed at my moan. "You two can do whatever you want, and we don't have a say."

 _"And don't you forget it,"_ Dimitri growled as he turned back toward the house. Eddie, Mason, and Derek followed behind him, but I was too busy trying to catch my breath. _"You okay, Roza?"_

The smugness that laced his words caused me to growl in frustration.

 _"You're going to pay for that, Comrade,"_ I responded already planning my torture.

Dimitri's head whipped around and eyes widened in panic.

 _"Please, no."_ He cried.

 _"Too late for that, darlin'. You're my bitch, now."_ I winked. I reached my tail up and stroked the side of his face as I passed him. I felt a mixture of arousal and terror as he watched my ass disappear inside.

 _"You'll be the death of me, woman."_


	45. Chapter 45

**DPOV**

"Cooommmrrraaadddee!" I heard Roza call out in a sing-song voice. I involuntarily shuddered. That voice usually meant rough times for me ahead, though they usually ended well, very well.

"Yes, Roza?" I responded moving toward the direction of her voice.

"I'm hungry." She whined. I rolled my eyes as I came into the bedroom. She was lounging naked on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with her feet resting on the headboard. We'd just gotten in from our second day training Eddie and Mason in the art of killing Pricolici.

"You're always hungry," I said somewhat jokingly. I smirked as I watched goosebumps appear on her skin as my eyes ran along her body.

"I meant for blood." She huffed, her breasts jiggling at the action. "I need to feed."

"I'm not letting you out of the wards," I growled moving closer to her, both to make my point but also because I couldn't stay away from her naked body any longer.

"How else am I going to get blood?" She responded. Her head tilted back, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"We talked about this already." I sighed kneeling on the bed a foot from her head. "The Guardians are going to try to round up some Strigoi to either bring here or to collect blood from. They left not too long ago. They should be back in a couple hours."

She grumbled incoherently as her stomach released a terrifyingly loud growl. My eyes widened and looked at her stomach.

"How in the world did your stomach just produce that noise?" I asked astounded.

"I told you I'm hungry, and I'm starting to feel it." She said annoyed.

"Are you sleepy?" I asked worriedly.

"A little. It's starting to become harder to control my wolf. The full moon is tonight. If I don't get blood before the moon rises completely, I won't be able to control the Shift." She said looking up at me. Her eyes widened in realization as panic filled her.

"Calm down, Roza. You'll get blood before then, and if not, I'll be here to keep you from Shifting." I said in a soothing voice.

"You know, I hate that you won't let me go out myself." She huffed narrowing her eyes at me again.

"I don't." I defended. "I'd much rather have you here, all to myself."

As I finished my statement, Roza's eyes roamed over my clothed form. I felt my jeans grow tighter as her gaze lingered on my crotch. She smirked victoriously as her eyes slowly turned lilac.

"Now, why would you want me all to yourself, Comrade?" She asked meeting my gaze. I leaned over her so she wouldn't have to tilt her head back anymore. I looked up the length of her body. Her chest rose and fell at a quicker tempo as I moved closer, and her thighs began rubbing together.

"I don't have to worry about anyone else trying to get to you if I keep you locked up here," I whispered as I lowered my lips to hers.

"Except I'm not lock up." She said cheekily.

"I can change that," I responded pulling out a length of rope that I'd found. "I figured this would be better than using my belt all the time."

"You're going to need something stronger than that if you hope to keep my wolf under control." She said, her eyes flashing brighter. "I won't be responsible for any injuries you sustain because that flimsy rope can't hold me."

"So, what you're really wanting is a way for me, not to tie you up, but to chain you up," I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you think I need to be chained up?" She asked innocently. There's so much more I could do to her if she was chained up instead of tied up. I couldn't push her as far if she was only tied up, but if she was chained…that would be ideal.

"I think, for my safety, you need to be chained," I replied a tone that I hoped would hide my excitement.

"Then I guess you need to find a place for me to be chained up," Rose said with a smirk on her face. I'm guessing that my excitement was obvious.

In an instant, I was off the bed and out of the room, ignoring Rose's laughter as I rushed down the hall to find Abe. The house was large, but I figured my best bet at finding him quickly would be to start in his study.

I passed Pavel on the way. He still gave me a heated glare but didn't act hostile; I took it as a win. As I had hoped, Abe was in his study, shuffling through papers. I knocked on the door and stood at the threshold waiting to be acknowledged.

"Belikov." Abe greeted as he looked up. "What can I do for you?"

"Rose had mentioned that her wolf was getting a little hard to control with the approaching full moon, and I'm not sure if it will get better even after she's fed." I began trying to make my reasoning plausible.

"Go on." He said setting down his papers and giving me his full attention.

"I was wondering if there was a place in the house that could accommodate someone with Roza's strength and hold her should her wolf get out of control."

"So, what you're asking me is if there's a place in my house you can chain my daughter up." He deadpanned. I felt my face pale and a blush begin to creep its way up my neck as I heard Rose's laugh.

"It's not just him who's asking." She laughed from behind me. She carefully slipped past me, making sure to slap my ass along the way. I growled at her brazenness, trying to cover up my own nervousness.

"To answer your question, Belikov, yes," Abe said amused. At least he wasn't furious about me getting sexual with Roza. "I had a 'wolf-proof' room installed in each closet. A wolf can't get in and a wolf can't get out. If you happened to be able to get the wolf to cooperate, you could get them chained before they Shifted. The chains hold some magic that prevents them from Shifting. When Janine used to live here, she'd _actually_ have problems with controlling her wolf. I never got to use it for your intended purpose."

"Eww! Abe!" Rose cried out covering her ears. "I so did not need to hear that!"

"Which is exactly why your room is soundproof," Abe said rolling his eyes. "As long as you two are being safe, I don't have a problem with it."

"We don't have to worry about being safe until mating season," Rose said after recovering from her horror.

"Lycanthrope still have to worry about getting pregnant outside of mating season, Rose," Abe said wide-eyed.

"I'm not Lycanthrope. I'm a wolf-vampire hybrid. For some reason, my body took the design from Moroi that makes it extremely difficult to get pregnant and made it to where I only menstruate for four months out of the year." Rose said annoyed. "It's great because I don't have to deal with bleeding every month, but really limits when I can have kids."

"Hmm…I didn't know that. I'll be sure to note that in my reports." Abe said shuffling through his papers again.

"Really? You're going to put that in there?" Rose asked disgustedly.

"We don't know much about True Hybrids so I'm going to make note of anything that's different," Abe responded as he wrote something in a small notebook. "I wonder if it would be the same for a male True Hybrid?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him." Rose responded sarcastically.

"Is that all you needed, little girl?" Abe asked narrowing his eyes at her.

"Yep!" Rose said jumping up from her seat and pulling me back to our room.

"I thought you said you were hungry," I said as I followed quickly after her.

"I am." She said pushing me onto the bed. "You're going to feed me."

"Am I now?" I asked as she unbuttoned my jeans. I breathed a sigh of relief as the tension my erection was causing was relieved.

"Unless you'll let me out of the wards," Rose responded, giving me a hopeful look.

"Why would I let you out of the wards if I could have your mouth around my cock instead?" I asked raising an eyebrow. She huffed and continued working my pants off my body.

"It was worth a shot." She mumbled against my bare thigh. Her lips were soft against my skin, and her breath tickled the hair on my thighs. "You smell good."

I hummed in contentment as she nipped at my flesh. I closed my eyes and let myself become immersed in the feelings of Roza. Her nips got harsher as she continued up my thigh, but it was too uncomfortable so I let her continue.

Then came the sharp pain. I cried out and tried to sit up, but Roza held me down with a clawed hand. My eyes found her lilac ones, only they weren't lilac. They'd turned almost black.

"Roza!" I called out as her teeth sank deeper into my thigh. "Roza, stop!"

She ignored me and took a long pull of my blood. I felt her grow stronger. I felt myself grow stronger. I ripped her claws off my chest and pushed her back off the bed, ignoring the torn flesh that it caused. She gave a low menacing growl and crouched low.

"Roza, snap out of it. This isn't you!" I demanded as I steadied myself as much as I could on the bed. I was prepared to fight my Alpha, but I knew I would lose, especially if she was like this.

I felt her inner wolf tense, and she screamed out in pain. The sound made my heart ache. Her bones snapped all at once as she collapsed to the floor in what I could only assume was an extremely painful Shift. Her cries of pain turned into howling as her face extended into her snout. Her paws planted themselves on the floor as her white fur traveled up her arms and across her expanding torso.

I felt the rest of the pack panic, and I could faintly hear rushing footsteps over the sound of Roza's howls. After she'd fully Shifted, her eyes snapped open to meet mine, they were still black.

 _"Roza."_ I sent out hoping to bring her back to me. An ear twitching was the only response I received before she bolted out the balcony doors. I rushed after her just in time to see her land on the ground below. She moved in a blur toward the ward lines.

"What happened!?" Eddie questioned as he burst into the room, followed by Mason, both of them having stakes drawn. Christian was hot on their heels, no pun intended, with flames resting in his palms.

"She took off toward the ward lines. She's not herself." I growled before Shifting. _"Tell Abe. I'm going after her."_

"Dimitri, wait!" I heard Eddie call but I was already on the ground following the scent of vanilla and lavender. It wasn't hard to follow until the smell of death invaded my senses. I turned and followed that scent instead, knowing if I found Strigoi, I'd find Rose.

I heard the sounds of my growling Alpha and snarls from several different sources. My leg was aching from where Rose had bitten me, but I pushed myself to go faster. I wasn't just Strigoi I could smell.

Roza had already ripped apart six Strigoi and was quickly draining the last one. There were a dozen Guardians standing off to the sides, stakes poised ready to attack. Rose lifted her head to look at me. There was blood still dripping from her mouth, and her coat was more red than white.

Her eyes were still black as she snarled at me. Her ears were pitched forward, and her spine was stiff.

 _"Roza. Stop. You've fed. This isn't you."_ I tried to reason with her while telling the Guardians to get back to the house. She only growled in response. _"Rose! Snap out of this!"_

Her body tensed the moment before she lunged at me. I rolled out of the way just in time. She landed with a thud, tripping over her own paws in her hurry to get to me. I took the opportunity to throw my body weight on top of hers.

 _"Roza, this isn't you. Snap out of it."_ I growled as I dug my claws into her side. I was worried she'd break something just to release herself from my grasp. Her body writhed underneath mine in an unnatural manner. _"Please."_

Her movement paused momentarily before starting again, but weaker this time.

 _"Roza?"_ Looking down at her, her eyes were still dark, though I could see the purple coming back. _"Fight it, Roza! You know this isn't you. Please, Roza, fight it."_

I could see the battle that raged in her eyes as the lilac fought the Darkness. I sent as much strength to her as I could, but her body went slack.

 _"Roza!"_ I called out. I took my weight off of her and waited anxiously for her response, only it didn't come. She Shifted before my eyes. Her naked body covered in blood, but her breathing was steady.

"It seems that you've done most of the heavy lifting for us." I heard a voice call from the woods. I placed myself over Rose's still form protectively. "Now all we have to do is kill her."

I felt panic fill me as dozens of Strigoi emerged from the trees, surrounding me and my Alpha. My ears pitched forward, alert and threatening. I planted my paws around Roza's body and prepared myself to fight for our lives.


	46. Chapter 46

**RPOV**

My head was pounding.

My body felt heavy.

My mind was weak.

I couldn't stand. I couldn't move. I heard the sounds of a raging battle, but I couldn't find the strength to join in. My heart constricted as I felt Dimitri grow weaker. He needed blood, but the amount of Strigoi wouldn't let him get a decent bite.

 _"Fight, Comrade."_ I sent out weakly. I heard him give a loud growl and felt the pull of blood.

Off in the distance, I could hear approaching footsteps, and I was worried Dimitri would have to fight off even more attackers.

"Rose!" I heard Mason's voice cry out. My heart rate quickened knowing the rest of my pack probably wasn't far behind. I found the strength to open my eyes. I was lying face down on the ground. I could see one of Dimitri's massive paws beside my head as he stood over me. After he took down the first few Strigoi, the rest of them held back to plan a more effective approach.

I could smell his blood, and I knew he had been injured.

The heavy pounding of footsteps came to a sudden stop near me. I heard the heavy breathing of three individuals, and I hoped that I wouldn't hear a fourth. Lissa did not need to be out here. She could help, we've been working on her defensive and offensive magic, but she didn't need to be risking her life, not for me.

 _"Help Dimitri, but stay alive. Fight close together. The more blood you pull, the more likely I'll be able to help."_ I told them as the aggravated growls from the Strigoi intensified.

I barely heard the quiet steps of the Strigoi as they all rushed forward at once. In fact, I'm sure I would never have heard them if they weren't all moving at the same time. I felt Dimitri tense above me before a snarl and a grunt, thankfully it wasn't Dimitri's grunt.

I felt myself growing stronger, and I'm sure the four of them felt it too. I'm pretty sure I was taking the lion's share of the strength they were consuming though. I didn't know if Eddie and Mason were partaking in the feeding frenzy, but when I gained enough strength I saw Christian sink his fangs into the side of a startled Strigoi's neck with a satisfied expression.

 _"Roza, stay down. I don't want you fighting until you're completely strong enough. Until then, I don't want them to know you're gaining power."_ Dimitri instructed me, and I willingly, and with much appreciation, collapsed back to the forest floor.

A dozen Strigoi bodies littered the ground around me, drained of blood, and the majority of them were headless. I felt someone tiring and tried to pinpoint who before I heard and felt bone breaking.

I screamed out in pain as I heard a body that wasn't Strigoi hit the ground. I knew it wasn't Dimitri, and a sick part of me was extremely grateful that my mate wasn't dead. I knew it was a member of my pack, but I didn't possess the strength to look around.

Dimitri released a mournful howl, and I contemplated asking him who'd fallen. Instead of asking, I pushed the empty feeling out of the way and focused on summoning every ounce of strength I could.

I felt my Alpha grow stronger, and I was surprised that to feel that the rest of my pack got stronger, too. My body was ready to attack, I just needed to Shift.

 _"Comrade, I'm going to Shift, I'll try to stay underneath you so they don't expect too much,"_ I informed as I released my Alpha from her cage. The familiar sense of breaking was comforting.

I'd Shifted completely and was lying under Dimitri's large form. It seems that none of the Strigoi noticed I'd Shifted as they were too distracted attacking my pack, and I was kind of obscured by Dimitri.

I looked around and noticed a mop of jet black hair on the ground right before I heard a terrifying scream.

 _"Lissa, no!"_ I yelled as I lunged out from under Dimitri, standing protectively in front of Lissa as she kneeled beside Christian.

The Strigoi turned their attention away from the Novices, that had done a surprisingly good job at staking, and focused on Dimitri and me, as we posed the biggest threat. I was somewhat pleased to note that Mason and Eddie had blood around their mouths.

"I thought you were passed out." One Strigoi stated annoyed.

 _"I hate to disappoint you,"_ I growled, beheading the first Strigoi that had gotten too close to Lissa. The sweet taste of his blood coated my tongue and gave me more power than the rest of the pack feedings had.

I felt Lissa drawing on her power but was too focused on keeping Strigoi away from her to look at what she was doing.

The rest of the Strigoi looked hesitantly at me as I spit the head of the decapitated creature at my feet. I could see their excitement at the two Royal Moroi behind me, but with me standing in their way, their excitement turned to fear.

Mason and Eddie moved behind me to stand on either side of me. Dimitri quickly moved to my left side, my weakest side, and stood slightly in front of me. My ear twitched as Lissa gasped. I felt the pit in my stomach fill with joy.

"What witchcraft is this?" One Strigoi voiced in a whisper.

"This doesn't change anything, bitch." Another growled.

"Galina will have her way, maybe not today, but soon." Said one at the back of the group. They'd lost two dozen Strigoi to me and my pack, but there were still two dozen standing before us.

They held back and retreated quickly into the woods. Mason moved to follow them, but both Eddie and Dimitri stopped him.

 _"Don't, we can't fight them right now. We're all injured."_ Dimitri explained when Mason started to protest.

I turned away from the three of them and looked where Lissa was embracing Christian, who was sitting up looking around stunned.

 _"Roza?"_ I heard Dimitri moving up behind me.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade,"_ I assured him tiredly.

 _"You're not fine. Something happened before and we need to figure out that it was."_ He insisted.

 _"It was a mixture of the Darkness and the hunger,"_ I said quietly as the guilt of my actions hit me. _"Is your leg okay?"_

 _"It's just a little cut."_ He said gently. I looked up at him with narrowed eyes which caused him to sigh. _"I'd prefer if it didn't happen again."_

 _"We'll talk more about this later. We need to figure out what Lissa did. Let's get everyone back into the wards first, though."_

 _"Are you okay to move that far?"_ He asked worriedly.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade,"_ I answered again, but when I went to take more than two steps, my legs wobbled.

 _"'Fine' my ass."_ He muttered. _"Shift and climb on."_

His tone of voice left no room for argument. I sighed as I Shifted. Dimitri had laid down on his stomach, looking at me expectantly. He was further away than I expected. Dimitri seemed to understand and moved closer to me.

I wound my fingers in his fur and pulled myself onto his back. His body was so warm, and I was surprised to find that his muscles were much more comfortable than I thought they would be. He released a sigh as I settled with my arms around his neck and my legs straddling his ribcage.

"Thanks, Comrade," I mumbled into his fur.

 _"Anything for you, Roza."_ He responded.

He continued back toward the wards, being extremely careful as not to jostle me on his back. I didn't think he could get any more protective of me, but he wouldn't even let anyone talk to me when we got back to the house.

He took me directly back to our room, only stopping to tell Abe that I would be fine. He crouched low to let me off his back and onto the bed. I thought he would Shift and hold me, but I enjoyed what he did next probably more at this moment.

Before I could settle completely on the bed, Dimitri climbed in at the head of the bed and curled his body around me. I felt so safe and content as I snuggled back into his warm body.

"Are you okay?" I asked after a few tense moments.

 _"I'm fine, Roza."_ He answered quietly. His head tightened closer to his tail bringing me closer to him.

"Don't lie to me, Dimitri," I said giving him a pointed look, even though I know he wasn't looking at me. He stayed silent for a few moments, the sounds of his breathing the only thing that could be heard in the room.

 _"I was so scared to lose you."_ He whispered in a broken voice. _"I saw you fall, and I didn't know if you would get back up. I thought you had died or were dying, and I just wanted to lay down and die with you."_

My heart ached at his confession. I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know how other than to cuddle deeper into his body, assuring him that I was still alive.

 _"I wouldn't survive losing you, Roza."_

"You won't lose me, Comrade," I promised.

 _"You don't know that, Roza. I can't keep you here all the time, no matter how much I wish I could. You have to go outside of the wards to feed. As much as I would like to think we can feed for you, we gain so much more strength when you feed."_ He said sadly. _"I'm supposed to keep you safe, and I almost failed today."_

"But you didn't. I'm alive and well. We've been over this before, Comrade, you're not meant to protect me all the time. You can't keep me safe all the time. Our very existence requires us to be in danger." I said scratching behind his ear. "Why haven't you Shifted yet?"

 _"I'm not going to Shift until the threat against you has been neutralized."_ He said adamantly.

"Are you really planning on staying in wolf form all the time?" I sighed

 _"Until I think you're safe. I'm in a much better position to protect you if I'm in my strongest form already."_

"All the time, though?" I asked in a sultry tone. He lifted his head and looked down at me. His tail started thumping as he saw my lilac eyes.

 _"Roza."_ He growled with his ears pinned back. I could see his determination to stay wolf falter. He gently nudged his wet nose under my chin causing me to giggle _"You need to sleep. We'll have a pack meeting to figure out what happened with Christian when you wake up."_

"Yes, sir," I said cheekily with a mock salute. I only smirked at his responding growl.

I settled comfortably into his warm side as he wrapped me tighter in his embrace. Even though I hated that he wouldn't sleep in his human form, I did enjoy cuddling with his wolf form. I felt protected either way, but I felt like nothing could ever get to me as long as Dimitri was surrounding me.

I wish I could say that I woke and got to stare at Dimitri as he slept, but he wasn't sleeping, and I didn't wake naturally. I woke when Dimitri's head lifted suddenly and his entire body tensed.

 _"What's wrong, Comrade?"_ I asked completely alert despite having just awoken.

 _"I heard someone, and it wasn't a pack member or Abe."_ He responded standing up. I whimpered slightly at the missing warmth. He stood over me, as he had a few hours ago. I started to stand up with him, but he wouldn't let me. _"You will sit there until I tell you otherwise."_

I rolled my eyes at his overprotectiveness but complied with his command. There were voices coming from the other side of the door, I could hear Abe's voice in the mix, but there were female voices that I didn't recognize. As the voices drew closer and more apparent, Dimitri relaxed.

 _"Put some clothes on, quickly."_ He instructed as the voices stopped right outside our door.

There was a soft knock as I pulled on one of Dimitri's shirts. I looked toward Dimitri for permission to open the door, and he consented with a nod of his large head. I cracked open the door slightly to see Abe standing there. There were several women standing behind him all with similar shades of brown hair and eyes, except for the old woman with graying hair.

"Kiz?" Abe said questioningly. I opened the door wider as Dimitri came up behind me. Abe looked a little unsettled to see Dimitri still in wolf form towering over everyone, but the women behind him looked thrilled.

"Dimka!" The youngest of the group shouted and charged into our room, throwing her arms around Dimitri's neck. I started to growl possessively before I caught her scent: pine. This must be Dimitri's family.

 _"Roza, I'd like you to meet my family,"_ Dimitri said happily. I felt a little self-conscious standing in our bedroom with just his shirt on. If this is their first impression, I can't imagine what they would think of me.

"Oh, Dimka, she's beautiful!" A middle-aged woman exclaimed throwing her arms around me in a tight embrace. I was a little shocked but recovered quick enough to wrap my arms around her too. "I'm Dimitri's mother, Olena. This is my youngest daughter, Viktoria, and my oldest two, Karolina and Sonja."

Before Olena had a chance to introduce the old woman, who I'm pretty sure was Dimitri's grandmother, his Babushka, the old woman stepped forward and grabbed my chin in her frail, but surprisingly strong, hand.

"You're much stronger than I thought you would be." She muttered. I looked toward Dimitri for help, but he just shook his head.

 _"What are you guys doing here?"_ Dimitri asked ignoring his grandmother.

"We're here to join your pack."


	47. Chapter 47

**DPOV**

"Join our pack?" Rose questioned quietly. Babushka was still holding her chin in her hand, silently appraising my Alpha and my Pair.

"Yes. We've been a part of the Baia pack for as long as I can remember, but when Mama told me that Dimitri had Paired with a True Alpha, I knew we had to meet you and join your pack." Mama explained gesturing to Babushka.

"Our pack isn't necessarily the safest to join at the moment," Rose mumbled hesitantly.

"Nonsense. We're joining, that is, if you'll have us." Mama said with a wave of her hand. Babushka finally released Rose's chin, and she came to stand beneath me. I'd sat down watching my family interact with Roza, well specifically my Babushka.

Rose leaned back against me cuddling into my fur. She rubbed one leg against the other, probably trying to gain warmth through the friction. My shirt stopped a few inches below her ass, covering her modesty while giving me a great view of her legs.

 _"I can't really say 'no' to your family, can I?"_ She asked me.

 _"You could, but I'd prefer it if you didn't,"_ I responded with a chuckle.

 _"You're alright with this?"_ She asked looking up at me. _"I know they're your family, but will you be okay with us growing our pack by four people? That will put a lot of strain on my need for blood. Plus, if we let them join, Derek is going to want to join too. We can't just turn someone down because they're not family."_

 _"We can, but you're right. I can't always protect you, but you'll need to feed either way. The more people that are in our pack, the more people that can protect you."_ I reasoned.

 _"I can protect myself, Comrade."_ She remarked crossing her arms over her chest.

 _"Except when you're hungry and full of Darkness."_ I quipped raising an eyebrow.

 _"Well, maybe you should have let me feed sooner."_ She said in the same tone. I narrowed my eyes at her as we began our battle of wills. Her eyes glowed lilac in defiance. She gave a low growl of authority, and I quickly backed down.

 _"Touché."_ I complied. She plastered a smile on her face, though I could tell she wasn't done with me yet and turned to my awaiting family.

"Perhaps we should move outside?" Rose suggested gesturing toward the door. My family complied easily, and Rose jumped up on my back. Her slim legs gently squeezed my sides as she ran her fingers through my fur.

I made my way out of the house only stopping three times to deter Guardians from leering at Roza's appearance. Each growl was rewarded with a scratch behind the ear: positive reinforcement.

Much to my delight Eddie and Mason also provided a growl or two when mine didn't get the point across.

"Derek, would you care to join us?" Rose called out. I still wasn't too sure about Derek, but he was loyal to Rose without being in the pack, he'll be loyal in the pack.

The only pack members we were missing were Lissa and Christian, and Rose assured me they were on their way.

 _"Alright, everyone who can, Shift,"_ I instructed. I kept my eyes glued on Rose, making sure she Shifted smoothly.

 _"I'm fine, Comrade."_ She sighed after shaking out her fur. Her striking appearance caused the other Lycanthrope to halt their progress and stare, well, other than Babushka.

Babushka, Karolina, and Viktoria all Shifted after coming out of their daze. Karolina and Viktoria had the brown coat that ran in the family whereas Babushka's was more silver than brown. All three had glowing blue eyes, like the sea after a storm.

Derek's coat was midnight black, and his eyes a fearsome green. I felt a Shift that I had not expected.

 _"Paul has already had his first Shift,"_ Karolina explained sensing my confusion. As if on cue, a slightly smaller, compared to the female wolves around me, wolf charged out of the house and into the middle of our circle.

Paul came to a screeching halt as his eyes landed on Roza. His eyes were the same bright blue that ran in my family, other than mine, of course, as they widened in shock.

 _"You're the White Wolf."_ He whispered causing Rose to chuckle.

 _"I am. And you are?"_ She asked cocking her head to the side.

 _"I'm Paul,"_ Paul responded simply.

 _"Paul is my nephew, Roza. He's Karolina's son."_ I explained further. _"Paul, this is my Pair and my Alpha, Roza, well, Rose Hathaway. When you're old enough you'll want her as an Alpha. She's the best."_

I could practically feel Rose rolling her eyes at my praise. I know, not biased at all.

"There are a lot more Lycanthrope here than I was expecting." I heard Christian mumble from behind me. When Rose and I turned around we saw him with Lissa. Lissa had her hand placed firmly in his, making sure that he was still with us.

 _"We have more to discuss after we're finished here. Eddie, Mason, Lissa, and Christian. Dimitri and I have gathered you here to propose five new members to the pack. Olena, Dimitri's mother. Yeva, Dimitri's grandmother. Karolina, Dimitri's sister. Sonja, Dimitri's sister. Derek, Guardian to Lissa. They have all expressed interest in joining our pack."_ Rose started.

 _"Normally, it would be up to the Alpha exclusively to decide whether or not to accept a new member, but we would like you all to have a say in the matter."_ I finished.

"I've no problems with it. I personally think we need more woman in the pack." Lissa said being the first to speak up. She smiled brightly at my family, and they all bowed their heads in appreciation.

"I don't know about the need for more women," Christian smirked, "but I'm all for having a larger pack. Perhaps when you guys join, they'll teach me how to fight."

 _"It's not that we don't want you to know how to fight, it's that we don't know how to teach you,"_ Rose explained. _"I'll ask Abe to see if he'll train you."_

"Fine by me," Christian said with a pleased expression.

 _"Mason? Eddie?"_ I asked looking toward the two Novices. They looked at each other and nodded.

"We're okay with it," Mason said speaking for the two of them. "As long as they're loyal to Rose, we'll be just peachy."

 _"Rosemarie Hathaway. I, Yeva Belikova, hereby submit myself to you. You have my loyalty should you chose to accept me as a Beta or not."_ Babushka began by slowly laying herself at the feet of my Roza. Her eyes were averted and her head bowed.

I'd never seen my grandmother so submissive. She had always been so strong and forceful with us, but now that I've seen Rose standing tall above her, I knew I would never see her be as strong as Roza.

Roza stood taller as Babushka lay before her. Their submissions would be more formal than mine was.

 _"You may rise, Yeva Belikova. My pack and I accept you into this family. You give us your loyalty, and we give you ours."_ Rose stated in her Alpha voice. Secretly, well, not so secretly, I loved when Roza used that voice.

"Roza," My mother began after Babushka stood, "I am Olena Belikova. I hereby submit myself to you. I come with one daughter not yet matured, Viktoria Belikova, and ask that you accept her as well. You shall have my loyalty and hers should you chose to accept us or not."

 _"You may rise, Olena Belikova. We accept both you and your daughter into this pack. Our loyalty is yours. We only ask that you give us yours in return."_ Rose said giving my younger sister a welcoming smile.

"I am Sonja Belikova," Sonja said looking a little nervous. She and Mama were the two Dhampirs submitting after all. While Mama was confident in her actions, Sonja seemed a little more hesitant in hers. She kneeled down in front of Rose, though no matter what she did she would have been smaller than Rose. "I hereby submit myself to you, Rose Hathaway. You have my loyalty should you chose to accept me or not, but know that I have a child on the way."

This was news to me, and I could feel myself grow angry at the thought of someone defiling my sister.

 _"You've done the same to me, Comrade."_ Roza reminded me looking over her shoulder to give me a pointed look.

 _"That's different,"_ I growled. Sonja looked up at me, not being able to hear the conversation between Roza and me. She looked terrified.

 _"I assure you, Sonja, that we will accept you and your child into our pack."_ Rose quickly interjected before I could express my quarrel with the father of Sonja's baby. _"You have our loyalty should we have yours."_

Sonja quickly scrambled to her feet to move slightly behind Mama, shielding herself from my questioning gaze. I'd get to the bottom of it eventually. The last to come forward was Karolina.

 _"Hello, Roza."_ She began cheerfully. _"I, Karolina Belikova, submit myself to you. I have a son, Paul Belikov, whom I also bring forward, asking for your acceptance into the pack. You have our loyalty should you accept us or not."_

 _"We accept you, Karolina and Paul. Our loyalty is yours should you give us yours in return."_ Rose accepted with a chuckle.

Karolina jumped up from the ground and brazenly embraced Rose as well as any wolf could. Rose seemed stunned for a moment before returning the gesture.

Viktoria and Paul stood behind everyone just watching the event unfold. Neither were old enough to submit in their own pack. They belonged to the pack that their mothers belonged to, though I'm sure they'd chose this pack either way.

I stepped up beside Roza as Derek came forward.

 _"Comrade, play nice,"_ Rose said gently.

 _"I'll play nice when I'm dead or when you're not the most gorgeous being to ever exist,"_ I growled, and she sighed. Derek looked a little scared before he lowered his head.

 _"Rose, Dimitri. I come forward today to ask your permission to join your pack. I've nothing to offer but my loyalty. I submit myself to you whether you accept me or not. My life is yours whether you accept it or not."_ He said rolling over.

Submissions were fickle things. Most of the time, if a female was submitting to a female there'd be aggression, the same with a male submitting to a male. It had something to do with asserting dominance within the pack members. A female Alpha would want to ensure that the other female pack members knew which males were off limits.

Roza was different, though. She readily accepted the females she did not know but was more hesitant with the male. Of course, that could be because of me. Derek was not only submitting to Rose, though it was the main part, he was also submitting to me.

I looked to Rose for permission before taking over the ritual. She sighed and rolled her eyes before nodding in agreeance.

I stepped forward and growled low, bearing my teeth with my ears pitched forward. Derek's ears flattened against his head and his gaze was anywhere but mine. He tilted his head back and to the side, exposing his windpipe to me while moving his paws further from his body. He was completely vulnerable as he awaited my decision.

I knew Rose would accept him into the pack without the formality, but I wanted to be sure that he knew his place. I also wanted to solidify that he knew my place – beside Roza. I added a few nips and growls but was finally satisfied with the amount of terror he felt.

I placed myself on Rose's left and nodded for her to continue.

 _"Derek Penning, you may rise as a new member of this pack. You have our loyalty so long as you give us yours."_ Rose stated officially.

"Welcome to the pack, you guys!" Lissa squealed hurling herself toward the nearest new pack member.

When Rose stepped forward to personally welcome them all, she stumbled.

 _"Roza!"_ I exclaimed. She gave me a tired look as was probably about to say she was fine when Babushka spoke up.

 _"Dimka, she needs to feed."_ She stated.

 _"But it's daylight."_ I countered in a panic. _"We won't be able to find any Strigoi out and about while there's still light outside."_

 _"I understand that. So, you better find their hiding location nearby. Taking on seven new pack members was a lot to ask. We knew this would affect her. She needs to feed, now."_

 _"'She' is right here,"_ Rose mumbled weakly.

 _"Roza, will you be able to hunt?"_ I asked worriedly.

 _"I'll be fine once I'm past the wards and not near Moroi."_ She said, her voice sounding strained.

 _"Derek, would you care to join us on our hunt?"_ I asked moving to the nearest point in the wards. Rose followed closely behind me, the prospect of blood strengthening her step. Derek didn't hesitate to follow behind us while the rest of the pack watched us go.

I could feel their worry for our Alpha, and if I could feel it, Rose could too.

 _"You guys worry too much."_ She mumbled taking the lead. I tried not to focus on the swaying of her hips as she ran in front of me, but she'd placed herself directly in my line of sight. This was her fault, really.

 _"We wouldn't have to worry if you didn't have to go out and risk your life to find food."_ I pointed out. _"However, since you can't not feed, we're going to worry. Deal with it, woman."_

 _"You should know better than to berate a hungry female, Comrade."_ She growled in her Alpha tone. _"You and I will have to have a long, private chat when we get back so I can teach you some manners."_

 _"I'm looking forward to it, Roza,"_ I responded huskily. _"But until then, follow the smell of decaying flesh."_


	48. Chapter 48

**RPOV**

I could feel Dimitri's anxiety as soon as we exited the wards, but I decided to focus on my overwhelming hunger instead of calming my Pair. The scent of death was still overpowering, but I didn't know if it was because there were Strigoi nearby or because last night's dead Strigoi still hadn't dissolved in the sunlight. Due to the dense tree coverage, sunlight wouldn't have been able to reach all the bodies. We'll probably need to come and burn the bodies.

 _"Do you guys know which direction we should start in?"_ I asked tiredly. My muscles ached and my stomach felt like it was going to tear itself apart, but the bloodlust kept me upright and moving.

 _"I say we start in the direction the Strigoi disappeared in last night."_ Dimitri provided herding me in that direction. I ran in the direction he pointed me in keeping an eye and a nose out for Strigoi. We passed the bodies we'd decimated last night and found a scent to follow from there.

Dimitri was running directly to my left while Derek was running behind the both of us. His strides were hesitant but gained more confidence the further we went. We'd run for about five minutes before the stench of death became disorienting.

 _"There must be a cave nearby,"_ Derek said putting his nose to the ground. I pitched my ears forward trying to isolate any nearby voices. I would have assumed that most of the Strigoi would be biding their time until the sun set enough for them to move again, but that didn't mean they'd go about it quietly.

Not many Strigoi run across Moroi, Dhampir, or Lycanthrope that can take them on in a battle, especially if they have a Pricolici with them. Previous Guardians turned Strigoi tend to fall back on pure strength and speed to fight their battles, whereas previous humans and Moroi don't know enough fighting techniques to use anything but speed and strength.

The hardest Strigoi I've had to fight have been previous Guardians that still used their training to combat opponents. It's in a Lycanthrope's nature to know how to fight, so Pricolici are usually better than even previous Guardians. I don't know if I've even gone up against a Guardian-trained Pricolici, though, since I haven't been up against that many Pricolici, I'd say my chances were slim to none.

As suspected, I could hear loud chattering coming from up ahead and slightly to the left. My head whipped in that direction, and I could feel Dimitri immediately turning his attention in that direction. It took Derek a little longer to catch on, but it wasn't enough to possibly give us away.

Dimitri and I moved soundlessly through the trees, dodging limbs, and stepping around the noisier vegetation. Derek tried his best to follow in our footsteps but would occasionally cause some disturbance that made us pause in our path.

I could tell that Dimitri was getting a little annoyed by it, but Derek still had much to learn. Plus, Dimitri and I were bound in a way that practically made us the same being, so anything I did, he did and vice versa.

I saw the mouth of the cave after a few minutes of creeping and gave a flick of my tail to bring us to a halt.

 _"Do you know how many there are, Roza?"_ Dimitri asked involuntarily nipping at my tail as it swung to a stop.

 _"I can't distinguish. They all smell the same, and it's all overwhelming. If I don't get something to eat soon, my stomach will probably warn them that we're here."_ I responded, trying to keep my mouth from salivating.

 _"If they're the leftover Strigoi from last night, there are at least a dozen of them, probably more."_ Dimitri pondered creeping up to my side. He nuzzled the side of my face before turning his attention back to the cave entrance.

 _"How do you want to play this?"_ I asked trying to calm my bloodlust. I could smell them. Most would smell death, but to me, Strigoi smelled like life. They were what I needed to survive, to remain strong, so I associated the stench of death with life.

 _"Like we have the past few times? I take on some of the bigger threats so you can take out as many of the minions as you can?"_ He said as more of a question, leaving me to make the ultimate decision.

 _"That sounds good to me, but will Derek be helping you or me?"_ I asked flicking my eyes back to the black wolf standing nervously behind us. _"You're the one that invited him along, so it's up to you to make that decision."_

 _"He'll help me unless it looks like you're taking on too many by yourself."_ He said before relaying the information back to Derek. The look in his eyes held excitement and pride at Dimitri's choice.

Now that we had a plan, we didn't try to stay silent, though we mostly did. From their attack last night, I knew the bigger threats, the ones that Dimitri and Derek would be taking on, would hang near the back, letting the younger Strigoi weaken us. However, the more Strigoi we fought and beat, the more powerful we'd become.

 _"If anything happens, run back to the light,"_ I commanded. I knew there was nothing I could command Dimitri, no Alpha voice powerful enough, no plea strong enough, that could make him leave my side should the need arise, but Derek needed to know what to do in case his Alpha falls.

 _"Of course, Rose."_ Derek nodded, but, as expected, I didn't receive a confirmation from Dimitri. The two of us were the first to enter the cave, the entrance being wide enough for us to both fit through.

Further into the cave, out of the sunlight near the entrance, stood a couple dozen Strigoi. The ones toward the front looked a little scared, but the ones at the back looked cocky, far too sure of themselves for the torment they're about to receive. I stood before them while Dimitri and Derek fanned out to my left and my right, respectively, to circle around back.

I growled low and loud to keep their main focus on me. I stalked forward slightly to let them know I'd be the biggest threat for the group. I'm sure some of the Strigoi recognized me from last night's attack, and fear shone brightly in their eyes. It astounded me how my small, seemingly innocent form could produce such an unnatural response from the dead beings.

I felt Dimitri's anger rise as the first few Strigoi charged me. I knew he was restraining himself from jumping in front of me, but he knew I could handle myself, especially when I was hungry.

The first Strigoi to reach me was a previous human, no fighting skills whatsoever. He slung an arm at me, but I clamped my teeth down around it and took a greedy pull of his blood. His scream caused the other Strigoi to hesitate in their charge. I made eye contact with the female previous Moroi behind him as my teeth released his arm and sank into his neck.

The muscles and tendons separated easily under my teeth, but the spine took a little more force to sever. The crack that rang through the cavern caused the Ancients in the back to bark out orders.

"What the fuck are you waiting for!? Kill her!" The blond one yelled pointing at me. I licked the blood from my first kill off my teeth savoring the sweet flavor as it fueled my body and gave me the strength to take on the next one.

Though they looked hesitant, the Strigoi charged at me again, but not all at once like the smart option would have been. They waited for the being in front of them to be killed before trying their luck.

I could see Dimitri moving in my peripherals, but Derek was a little harder to spot in the shadows, though I would occasionally see the flash of his green eyes as he looked hesitantly in my direction.

The Ancients were focused on me as I continued to take down young Strigoi after young Strigoi. Each Strigoi I took down was older than the last, and they gained more skill with each that fell. Usually, this tactic would work when trying to wear down an opponent, but it was doing the opposite for me and my pack.

By the time I had finished off a dozen Strigoi, Derek and Dimitri had taken down six of the older ones which left us with six Ancients. Five of them stood in front of the blond one that had called out the attack on me, and he had some decency to actually look a little frightened as I stalked toward him.

Dimitri and Derek were taking on the other five, so it was just the blond and I. He'd backed himself into a corner of the cavern and was quickly looking for a way to escape me and my teeth. I found it quite amusing.

"She's just going to keep sending people after you." He growled. "If you somehow kill me, she'll send someone stronger. She won't stop until you're dead or turned. You'll be running for the rest of your life."

 _"Until I kill whomever you're working for, that is."_ I chuckle. _"Why don't you tell me who you're working for so I can give her my gratitude for sending so many of you to die by my teeth?"_

"I'd rather you just kill me. I won't tell you." He said loyally. This was surprising considering most Strigoi had no loyalties other than to themselves. This Strigoi had to have some serious power to command such a loyalty from such old Strigoi.

 _"We'll see about that,"_ Dimitri stated coming to my left as he dropped the last of his Strigoi. Derek soon appeared to my right as he too drained his last Ancient. Where I provided a sort of fear that was amusing, Dimitri's appearance provided a fear that was awe-inspiring.

 _"I hate that they're always more scared of you than they are of me."_ I sighed to Dimitri. _"It's disheartening considering I'm the greater threat."_

 _"You're the greater threat, Roza, but you aren't the_ biggest _threat."_ Dimitri soothed. _"They can only go off what they see."_

 _"I guess that's true."_ I relented before turning back to the frozen Strigoi. _"What's your name?"_

The Strigoi looked like he was going to give me a nasty response. In fact, the 'f' had just barely formed on his lips when Dimitri charged at him and slammed his body back into the ground. Dimitri placed a large paw on the center of his chest before leaning down and growling with bared teeth.

 _"I suggest you answer the lady truthfully."_

"N-Na-Nathan. My name is Nathan." Nathan stuttered as he stared up at Dimitri. Derek sat back and waited for a command or for an opportunity that he might be needed. I slowly approached where Dimitri had Nathan pinned.

Nathan wasn't trying very hard to release himself from Dimitri's hold, but that was to be expected if you saw a giant, pissed-off, Russian wolf hovering above you.

 _"Is your boss after me because of a prophecy?"_ I asked coming into his line of sight, taking his attention away from Dimitri.

"Yes. She's convinced that you're the key to her success."

 _"Do you not believe her?"_ I asked feeling a little offended.

"I didn't until I saw you fighting just now. Last night, I didn't think you were that strong, relying on your pack to protect you, but now that I've seen you in action, I think you'll be the key to her success."

 _"Who is she?"_ Dimitri growled getting closer to Nathan's face. Nathan's eyes regained their fear as Dimitri's blood-stained teeth drew closer to his face.

"Her name is Galina." Nathan spat out literally quivering in fear. Dimitri recoiled, momentarily losing his hold on Nathan. Nathan took his chance and wiggled from under Dimitri only to become trapped in my jaws.

While I only meant to detain, his struggle caused my jaws to miss his arm and claimed his neck instead. Before I had the chance to change the pressure my jaws were closing at, his head was rolling on the floor at our feet.

 _"Whoops. Are you okay, Comrade?"_ I asked bringing myself to stand in front of him.

 _"Yeah, I'm fine. I just know someone named Galina. I'm sure it's the same person, but I didn't think that she'd rise to power this quickly."_ He said looking down at the pieces of Nathan.

Derek stepped closer having shot forward when Nathan started his escape, but now his presence wasn't needed. The light at the entrance of the cave was dimming, and I knew we probably needed to start back toward the wards.

There was no way this Galina could know her goons didn't accomplish her assigned task so I wasn't too concerned about Strigoi coming for us, but I was concerned about Strigoi in general. My belly was now full, and I felt like napping.

 _"We can discuss this back at the house. We still need to know what happened to Christian, and you need to get more sleep."_ Dimitri said nudging me back outside. I wanted to argue because I wanted more information, but he gave me a stern growl that made me trudge toward the woods. _"Thanks for your help, Derek."_

 _"No problem. It was a fantastic way for me to get used to the power you guys share."_ He responded kindly with ears back and tail wagging gently. I chuckled at Dimitri's first attempt at friendly dialogue before picking up my speed and heading home.


	49. Chapter 49

**DPOV**

I could tell that remaining in wolf form was starting to get to Rose, but I wasn't Shifting unless absolutely necessary and even then, I'd Shift back as soon as possible.

We'd gathered the pack in the living room to share the information we'd collected while feeding and hoped to gather information on what had happened to Christian.

"Why don't you start, Liss," Rose said gently taking Lissa's hand in hers as they sat beside each other on one couch. I lay on the floor beside Rose resting my head on her feet.

"Derek stopped me on the edge of the wards. He wouldn't let me follow you guys and Rose. I was a little irritated, yes, but then I thought about what I could really do to help and decided it was better if I stayed back to help when you returned. That was until I felt the pain in my chest."

Lissa paused briefly and shook her head as if to rid herself of the memory. Christian, who was sitting on the other side of Lissa, took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't know what power overtook me, but I broke away from Derek and bolted in the direction I knew you guys were. Everyone was fighting except Christian. The pain in my chest was still there, and I didn't know how to get rid of it, but my Spirit did. Instinct took over and next thing I knew…the pain was gone and Christian was sitting up perfectly fine."

"You're shadow-kissed," Babushka said after a moment of silence.

"I'm what?" Christian asked taking his eyes off Lissa for a brief second to look at my grandmother.

 _"Shadow-kissed."_ I cut in raising my head to look them in the eye. _"We had a couple back in Baia that was shadow-kissed. You've been brought back from the dead."_

"Dead?" Rose asked with a puzzled expression.

"Most likely, the pain you were feeling was the loss of a pack member, but young Vasilisa brought him back." Babushka explained in a relaxed state, like we didn't just discover one of our pack had been killed then brought back. "I'll put you in contact with Oksana and Mark so you can know what to look forward to."

"I'd appreciate that," Lissa said kindly. She and Christian shared a look, but I couldn't place all the emotions. The air in the room shifted as all eyes turned to Rose and me.

"What did you find out?" Abe asked leaning forward, hands folded together.

"We found out who is after me," Rose said moving closer to me. I laid my head on her lap to provide her a little comfort, and she rewarded me by running her fingers through my fur.

"And?" Abe probed wringing his clasped hands.

 _"Her name is Galina. She was a combat instructor for St. Basil's. A few years ago, she was turned by force, but from the loyalty she's gained from these Strigoi, she's doing pretty well for herself."_ I said closing my eyes to focus on Rose's fingers.

"So, you know the monster that's hunting Rose?" Pavel asked with frustration in his voice. I opened my eyes and lifted my head to turn and look at Pavel standing in the corner of the room.

 _"I knew her from my time at St. Basil's. I haven't seen her since graduating, and she was turned after that."_ I said calmly. Rose sensed my defensiveness and place a calming hand on the back of my neck.

"Do you know where she would have set up?" She asked soothingly.

 _"I doubt she would leave Russia. She recruited Victor Dashkov to operate in the States, but she sent her Strigoi followers to attack us here, so I would assume that she is still in Russia."_

"Russia is a big place." Christian pointed out. "How are we supposed to know where to start looking?"

 _"I don't know. From the following she has, I would assume that she's got a large building or house that houses them all, but there are still a lot of those, so it doesn't really help narrow it down."_ I said laying my head back in Roza's lap.

"I can talk to the Alchemists to see if they have any idea on a location. If they don't have a specific location, they'll have cities that are high in Strigoi activity. I'll have my men start questioning Strigoi they find."

"Questioning?" Rose asked with an amused smirk.

"I have a few…persuasion technicians that are particularly good at their jobs." Abe said with a similar smirk on his face.

 _"You two are too much alike,"_ I muttered to myself with a shiver, but Rose heard me and laughed.

"Sorry," She said halting her laughter. "What are we going to do until then?"

"Well, I'm going to have to have the Alchemists out to clean up the bodies you all have left behind in the woods. I'll also need to call someone at Court to get your kills on record, and I know you'll hate this, but I have to inform the queen of your situation."

"Why does the queen have anything to do with me and my situation?" Rose asked with furrowed brows.

"You know how I told you that she was invested in your wellbeing? Your current situation is kind of threatening your wellbeing." Abe explained. "Tatiana wanted to bring you to Court until this mess could be settled, but I knew you never wanted to hide behind walls, well wards in the case, nor would Court allow you and your pack to roam freely. You know how Moroi feel when wolves are just running around."

"Yet they have no problem with us when they're under attack," Rose muttered pensively.

"Not all of us are like that, Rosie." Christian snarked earning him a deadly glare from Rose. Had my head not been in her lap, she probably would have strangled him.

"I know you all aren't like that, but you happen to be in the minority," Rose grumbled.

"Will the queen do anything about Rose's situation?" Lissa asked.

"The most she will do is send someone to either reinforce our protection around you or someone she can trust to relay any and all relevant information. She can't actually do anything to help." Abe answered.

"I don't like the idea of Guardians I don't trust," Rose said looking down at me

 _"We'll figure out something, Roza,"_ I reassured her.

"Would you rather me tell her you'd rather have someone extremely trustworthy to be here with us and not provide reinforcement?" Abe asked looking more at me than Rose.

 _"I'd appreciate someone trustworthy. I know all of the queen's men are loyal to her, but what about to my Roza? If she sends anyone, it should be someone that she can trust has Rose's best interests at heart."_ I answered ignoring Rose's silent protests.

"Comrade, I'm safe within the wards." Rose voiced rolling her eyes.

 _"You will not leave my side, no matter where we are. If I can't be there all the time, one of the pack members will be with you, preferably someone who can be in wolf form."_ I growled in a threatening tone. _"We will not lose our Alpha because she thought we were being overprotective."_

"Listen to him, child," Babushka said with a kind smile. "It will be easier for you in the long run if you just let him do as he pleases."

"As long as you're human for at least a few hours every day. While I enjoy snuggling up with your wolf, I want your arms around me, too." Rose consented. I narrowed my eyes at her debating on agreeing to her condition, but I didn't know if I wanted to leave her more vulnerable while I was in human form.

 _"Fine."_ I agreed. Rose smiled widely and patted my head.

 _"Good boy."_ She said with a wink.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Christian asked looking around at the rest of the pack.

"We train. We prepare for what might be coming next." Rose responded. "Christian, you'll be working with Abe on advancing your fire skills while the Dhampirs, Lycanthrope, and humans work with Dimitri and me on combat. When you get tired of fire, you can join us learning combat."

"You mean you're going to teach me to fight!?" Christian asked bouncing in his seat.

"Unless you keep acting like that, yes." Rose quipped quietly shaking her head, but Lissa had heard her and was trying to hold back her laughter. "Liss, would you like to learn to fight?"

"Could I just focus on learning to heal?" She asked looking a little scared at the idea of fighting.

"That might be more beneficial." Rose laughed. "We'll start tomorrow. Yeva, you said that you were going to call the Spirit user you know, could you possibly invite them here? Lissa could use a mentor."

"I'm sure she'd be thrilled to come," Babushka said with pride in her eyes. I raised my head off of Rose's lap and turned my head in Babushka's direction. My eyes narrowed as I studied her.

This Babushka was much friendlier and less stern than the one I had grown up with. This Babushka seemed to always have a smile on her face, and her voice was softer. When she noticed me looking at her, Babushka's normal stern, displeased expression returned to her face but then she smirked knowingly.

 _"I told you she would be loved more than you,"_ She said within my mind. I huffed and returned my head to Rose's lap. Rose gave me an odd look, but I shook my head slightly as everyone settled into their respective seats.

Seeing as no one had any other information to hand out, Abe and Yeva stood from their spots and exited the room, presumably to make their promised calls. I could feel someone staring at me and then I looked up at Rose, she was glaring at someone across the room.

I, again, lifted my head from Rose's lap and saw Pavel still glaring at me. I could feel Rose's anger rising again and quickly stood in front of Rose to break her glaring contest with Pavel. I lowered my head to nudge Rose's chest. She responded by tangling her hands in my fur.

 _"You need to sleep, milaya,"_ I told her quietly.

 _"Only if you'll sleep, too."_ She said burying her face in the fur on my neck.

 _"I'm not promising anything, but I'll definitely join you,"_ I said using my nose to push her off the couch. She giggled before jumping up on my back.

 _"I think I could get used to traveling like this."_ She sighed settling flat on my back. From the way she was laying and my size, any normal human being, or Strigoi, wouldn't be able to see Rose on my back unless she sat up.

 _"I'm not a horse."_ I joke as I make my way up the stairs.

 _"No, you're too big to be a horse,"_ Rose mutters. As she settled into the warmth my fur provided, I could feel her eyes drooping and her breathing become more shallow.

 _"Don't go to sleep yet, Roza. You need to change and get in bed."_ I said turning my head slightly to get a look at her over my shoulder. She grumbled unintelligibly but sat up slightly to keep herself awake.

I reached our door and nudged it open with my nose. I closed the door with my tail and crouched low to let Rose off my back. She slid off and landed with an almost inaudible thud. She immediately started taking off her clothes and headed to the bathroom. I laid down at the threshold of the bathroom and watched with fascination as Rose washed away the events of today.

Much like last night, Rose remain naked as we cuddled in bed. My back was up against the headboard as Rose settled in against me. She fell asleep almost instantly. I was comforted by the steady movement her breaths caused.

She gave a happy sigh when I tucked my head around her body, and I couldn't help feeling content knowing that I could cause such a reaction. I'd just closed my eyes when I heard someone approach our door. The knob slowly turned, and I lifted my head gently as not to wake Roza.

Abe stuck his head in the room and smiled as he observed my position around Rose. It was highly unlikely that he could see all of Rose's body, but he probably saw her legs sticking out around my paws. I'd hate for her father to witness his naked daughter in my embrace.

"I've talked to Tatiana. She's going to send someone to keep an eye out for us. He's going to relay information to Tatiana, and Tatiana is going to relay information to us through him. He'll be here by the end of the week. You'll want to inform Rose when she wakes." Abe said quietly, but Rose stirred slightly as he was talking.

 _"I'll let her know. Thank you, Mr. Mazur."_ I told him tucking Rose into my body to keep her warm.

"Please, Dimitri, call me Abe." He said with a kind smile before backing out of the room and closing the door almost as quietly as he had opened it. I looked down at the perfect small body pressed against me and curled myself around her tightly.

With my mind clouded over with the scent of vanilla and lavender, I joined my Roza in the land dreams.


	50. Chapter 50

**RPOV**

 _"You can let go of her hand now,"_ Dimitri growled as Adrian continued to hold on to my hand.

"Don't worry, Big Hybrid," Adrian said releasing my hand. "I can see your Claim, you've nothing to worry about from me."

Dimitri didn't look too convinced as Adrian gave him a lazy, carefree smirk before winking at me.

"So, Little Hybrid, would you like to catch me up on all that's been going on around here?" He asked gesturing me over to a couch. Adrian had arrived this morning while Dimitri and I were enjoying our shower.

As soon as Dimitri had dried off, he Shifted. Abe later gave a tentative knock at our door to inform us of our recently arrived guest.

I sat down on one of the couches and Dimitri immediately placed himself at my feet in between myself and Adrian. Adrian looked amused at Dimitri's overprotective and jealous nature, but Dimitri continued to look the part of the jealous boyfriend.

We spend the next hour filling Adrian in on what had been happening with me and my pack.

"So, let me get this right, Lissa, Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, is a Spirit user?" Adrian asked after we'd finished our explanation. I failed to see how that was the first question he pulled out of our tale, but upon further inspection, his interest made complete sense.

"As are you from what I can tell," I said tuning in to his Darkness. "You're harboring quite a bit of Darkness."

"I'm impressed, Little Hybrid," Adrian said with widened eyes. "Yes, I am a Spirit user. I haven't had the privilege of meeting many, but I'm curious to know how you knew."

"I've got a few gifts of my own," I responded with a smirk. His eyes flicked all around me and his expression settled on confused.

"You've got the colors of a normal Lycanthrope but you also look like a Spirit using Moroi. I realized you were a Hybrid, but I didn't realize how unique your combination was." He said focusing his eyes back on mine.

"I got my wolf half from my mother and my Moroi half from my father," I said with a shrug. "I believe it was my unique combination that led to my Spirit power."

"Seems like it could make sense." He mumbled. "What's your ability?"

"I can take Darkness," I stated simply. I smirked knowingly as his eyes widened beyond belief.

"Don't you know that's dangerous for you?" He asked astonished.

 _"She knows, but that's just the kind of person she is."_ Dimitri cut in sounding slightly frustrated. I sighed and started running my fingers through his fur to calm him down.

"I don't take it all, I just take enough to make you feel better and less insane." I amended. "The Darkness doesn't affect me as much as it would you or Lissa. I just get hungry and end up having to feed. Perhaps the next time we go hunting I'll syphon off a little of your Darkness just to let you know what it feels like."

"I'm not sure I can agree to that," Adrian said hesitantly glancing down at Dimitri with a flash of worry in his eyes. I could feel what he was probably seeing: anger and annoyance.

"As long as I feed soon after it really shouldn't be a problem," I said more to Dimitri than to Adrian. Dimitri only looked up at me with narrowed eyes. They held skepticism and a definite 'no.' "Yes, dear."

He seemed appeased as he laid his head back down at my feet.

"So, what are you doing in the meantime? It's not like you could just go charging into a Strigoi stronghold, assuming you actually knew where she was." Adrian asked relaxing into his seat.

"Well, we probably could, but no. We're going to train my pack. We're going to get ready to storm into a Strigoi stronghold. We're going to get stronger." I said determinedly.

 _"We're going to keep our Alpha safe,"_ Dimitri added with a pointed look toward Adrian.

"There's something different about your aura, too," Adrian said ignoring Dimitri's subtle threat. "I'm guessing it's because you're bonded with Rose."

 _"Different in what sense?"_ Dimitri asked.

"You've also got a similar coloring to a Spirit user, but it's faint and muted. I would assume that you could do a similar service as your Pair, but it would most likely affect you more than it did her." Adrian explained, his eyes coming back into focus.

"Well, we've got a Spirit user joining us here sometime tomorrow. You're welcome to join Lissa as she learns more about how to use her gift." I said steering the attention away from myself so Dimitri could relax slightly.

"That sounds wonderful! I haven't had the pleasure to meet any Spirit users, at least none that knew they were Spirit users." Adrian chuckled. "And, Dimitri, I know Rose is extremely important to you. I can tell you just from this meeting that I would not let anything happen to her should it be in my power to protect her. You don't have to worry about me, you have my word to protect Rose with every fiber in me."

 _"I really appreciate that, Adrian. I'm glad to have your loyalty, and I speak for both of us when I say it means a great deal that we've gained your support."_ Dimitri said standing up. Adrian looked a tad bit frightened as Dimitri stood to his full height before smoothing his face back out to a grin.

"We've got some training to do. You're welcome to join us for combat, or you could join Abe as he works with Christian. I think Lissa is going back and forth between the two just to observe." I said standing. I jumped up onto Dimitri back and settled my legs around his wide ribcage giving a smile to Adrian before Dimitri started outside.

The rest of the pack, minus Christian and Lissa, were already warming up around the grounds. Dimitri took me to a corner on the outside of the house and let me down while using his body to block the view anyone might have had as I Changed.

Dimitri moved out of the way as I grew. When I shook out my fur, I heard a gasp. We both turned our heads to see Adrian staring at me with an awestruck look.

"Beautiful." He muttered quietly to himself, though with our enhanced hearing we heard. Dimitri immediately spread his paws slightly wider as he turned to face Adrian. His ears were pitched forward and his lips curled back in a snarl. "Sorry, dude, it's strictly platonic."

Adrian backed away quickly with his hands raised in surrender, however, Dimitri didn't back down. In fact, he took a couple of slow, menacing steps forward. Adrian's eyes widened as he scrambled further back.

I quickly made my way in between them and gave Dimitri a threatening growl.

 _"Comrade, back off. He's harmless."_ I told Dimitri in a firm tone, but it didn't seem to get through to him because he took a few more steps forward until he was almost on top of me.

I opened my jaws and placed them at the base of his while releasing the loudest growl I have. I felt Dimitri tense beneath my teeth, and I saw his ears flatten against his head. I tightened my jaws slightly and was rewarded with a slight whimper.

 _"Alright, Roza. I got it."_ He said quietly. _"I didn't like the way he was looking at you."_

 _"I know you didn't. You don't like the way any guy looks at me."_ I sighed releasing his throat from my grasp.

 _"I can't help it."_ He grumbled before trudging his way to where the pack had gathered to watch the exchange. Yeva was still in human form and wore an amused smile as Dimitri approached them.

 _"Sorry about that. He gets really protective sometimes. I'm working on it."_ I apologized to a frazzled looking Adrian.

"No. No, it's fine. I didn't mean any offense by it, but I've never seen such a striking creature. Every time I see a Lycanthrope I'm caught off guard by how different they tend to look from their human forms, but your Shift was more drastic than I expected. Don't get me wrong, I meant what I said. You are beautiful, but I didn't mean to anger your Pair when I said it."

 _"It's fine. I'm pretty sure that he knows that, but not everyone is as kind and understanding as you."_ I said gesturing with my head in the direction of the pack. I walked slowly as to keep pace with Adrian as we made our way over to everyone else.

 _"Everyone, this is Adrian Ivashkov. He's Tatiana's great-nephew and will be working as a liaison between us and the queen. He'll be staying with us here for the time being. Both Roza and I have verified his intentions."_ Dimitri introduced. Olena stepped forward to embrace Adrian, and Yeva gave him a quick smile in greeting.

Sonja gave a slight half wave while Mason and Eddie gave the standard solemn nod. Everyone else, who were all in wolf form, gave a similar nod, though Paul and Viktoria accompanied their movement with a gently wagging tail.

"It's nice to meet all of you, I'm sure I'll learn your names at some point, but I'll just be observing progress," Adrian said with a kind smile. I noticed Dimitri and Derek eyeing him critically, but they didn't say anything as I narrowed my eyes in their direction.

 _"Alright, Sonja, I don't want you doing too much. You're not allowed to leave the wards unless you're accompanied by at least three pack members."_ I stated receiving a grateful smile from Sonja as she rubbed her slightly swollen stomach. _"Olena, I don't know how much combat experience you have, but you'll be following Eddie and Mason through their paces, just do whatever is comfortable for you. Yeva, you can do whatever you want. I can feel you're still strong, but I don't want to assume so you can either join the wolves or the Novices."_

"I think I'll join the Novices today. I'll work with you and Dimka tomorrow." Yeva responded with a kind smile. I noticed that I was always on the receiving end of Yeva's smiles while Dimitri only received stern looks. "And, please, child, call me Babushka."

Eddie and Mason took Olena and Yeva to the side to start their work while I set Dimitri and Derek to work with Karolina and Viktoria. I was working one on one with Paul. Paul was big for his age, but still too small to be working with wolves the size of Dimitri and Derek.

 _"Alright, little man, show me what you've got,"_ I said facing off with the young brown wolf. His eyes took on the same determined look that Dimitri always got before fighting as he firmly planted his paws.

His first move was to lunge at my paws. It was a smart move for a smaller opponent, but he wasn't quite fast enough to use the maneuver effectively. I jumped over his small form and landed lightly on the other side of him, turning before he had a chance to begin changing directions.

His face became more determined as he prepared for the next attack. This time he went high, and I was surprised by his clearance. He landed on my back but slid off as I turned my body quickly.

He landed with a grunt but quickly shook it off to get back up on his paws. He tried the same move again and successfully landed on my back without falling off.

 _"That's good if you're fighting another Lycanthrope or Pricolici, but jumping over a Strigoi or any person would leave you vulnerable,"_ I instructed as I shook him off a second time.

He smiled under my praise before charging at my paws again. This time, it worked only it wasn't Paul's doing that got me off my feet. Right as I leapt over Paul, Dimitri lunged at my side and tackled me to the ground.

He used his weight to keep me there but nipped gently at my ear playfully. I heard Paul laugh and felt him jump on me as well. I grunted at the added weight and reached back to nip at Dimitri's fur.

 _"Aren't you supposed to be working with your sisters?"_ I laughed as he scrambled out of my reach.

 _"I was, but Viktoria went on a run and it seems that Derek and Karolina are working well together, so I thought I'd help Paul out."_ He answered still dodging my attempts to reach him.

 _"Paul. I think we need to teach your uncle a lesson about attacking the Alpha."_ I said looking down at the young Lycanthrope whose tail immediately began to wag at the suggestion.

Paul turned his attention to Dimitri and lunged at his paws as he had done with me. I took a page from Paul's book and jumped on Dimitri's back. Dimitri tried to shake me off, but in his attempts to dodge Paul, he couldn't get me off his back.

I nipped at Dimitri's neck as Paul targeted all of his paws. Dimitri finally tripped over his own paws in an attempt to escape Paul's small teeth and landed on his face which in turn pitched me forward.

We were all laughing when Viktoria ran back up to us.

 _"What's so funny."_ She asked hesitantly.

 _"Nothing. Your brother was just being taught a lesson."_ I responded, giving Paul a wink. Paul giggled but didn't correct me, and Viktoria just looked more confused.

 _"Alright, well if you're done teaching Dimka a lesson, could we focus on those of us that actually need the help?"_ She asked when we still hadn't stood from where we'd fallen. Dimitri was the first to stand, and he reverted back to the serious look he'd had earlier.

 _"You're right, let's get back to training."_


	51. Chapter 51

**DPOV**

Rose was taking a shower after training when a knock sounded on our door. I was laying right outside the bathroom door, waiting for Rose, and lifted my head.

 _"Enter,"_ I called out. There was a deep intake of breath outside the door before it opened. Adrian stuck his head through the doorway and looked around the room until his gaze fell upon me.

His eyes widened a little, I'm assuming because I was still in wolf form, but he quickly fixed his face back to the carefree, cocky look he always seemed to wear.

 _"What can I do for you, Lord Ivashkov?"_ I asked sitting up taller. Even when I was laying down I was still taller than the Moroi lord.

"I wanted to make sure the air between us is clear." He replied stepping further into the room.

 _"As long as you know that Roza's place is by my side and there's nothing you can do to change that, we'll be fine,"_ I stated narrowing my eyes slightly.

"You've nothing to worry about from me. I see the connection you two have, and I don't have to be an aura-seeing Spirit user to know it. I doubt that Abe has told Tatiana about your relationship, but I will have to inform her. However, I assure you that I will do everything in my power to make things easy for you. She shouldn't have a problem with it considering you submitted yourself to Rose and not the other way around."

 _"Like I could handle Roza as a pack member."_ I scoffed

"I heard that, Comrade!" Rose called out over the running water. Adrian laughed at what I was assuming to be my terrified expression but ignored Rose's interruption.

"I just wanted to let you know that, while I do flirt and joke, I'm not pursuing your girl and your Alpha. While I wouldn't mind finding someone as beautiful and perfect as Rose, she's yours and I respect that. You've nothing to worry about when it comes to me and my intentions." Adrian said after quieting his laughter.

 _"I appreciate that, Lord Ivashkov,"_ I replied formally with a nod of my head.

"Call me 'Adrian.'" He said with a kind smile. I nodded in agreeance, and he backed his way out of our room.

 _"Thanks for playing nice,"_ Rose said once the door closed behind Adrian. I heard the water turn off and shifted to face the bathroom door, waiting patiently for Rose to emerge.

 _"I decided you were right. He isn't a threat to me or to you so I have nothing to worry about."_ I said with a shrug even though she couldn't see me.

"You _decided_ I was right?" Rose asked with raised eyebrows as she emerged from the steamy bathroom.

 _"Umm…yes. I mean, I know you're right the majority of the time, but this one time required a little more thought when it came to knowing that you were right once again."_ I amended quickly.

"Nice save," Rose mumbled shuffling through her clothing. "Mark and Oksana should be arriving soon, right?"

 _"Right. We should have enough time to get the details on how Christian's training with Abe went before they get here, unless you take forever finding an outfit."_ I said nodding to where Rose was still trying to find something to wear.

"Hey, it takes time for me to look as great as I do. Besides, it's not like you have to dress. I just wish you would figure out it's safe to be in human form instead of wolf form." She sighed finally deciding on dark wash jeans and a maroon swing tank. She tied a knot in the tank at her right hip before towel drying her hair.

 _"You always look perfect, Roza,"_ I said gently hoping not to make another mistake by misspeaking. She didn't respond other than an attractive snort and eye roll. She jumped over me and made her way back into the bathroom and re-emerged moments later without the towel in her hands.

She jumped over me again and opened the door out into the hallway. I scrambled to my feet and followed quickly after her. She was already halfway down the stairs toward the end of the hall as I charged out of our room.

 _"How do you move so quickly?"_ I mumbled as I placed myself at Rose's feet when I finally caught up to her in the living room. She reached down and patted my head twice with a chuckle.

"Maybe you're just getting slow." She responded in a teasing tone.

 _"I highly doubt that,"_ I grumbled before laying my head on her lap.

"Are you always going to be in wolf form?" Christian asked as he and Lissa entered the room hand-in-hand.

 _"Until I know Rose is safe when I'm out of wolf form, yes,"_ I responded, ignoring Rose's annoyed sigh.

"How'd training with Abe go today?" Rose asked as Christian and Lissa sat on the couch opposite us.

"Really well," Christian said enthusiastically. I'd never seen the royal Moroi so animated as relayed the events of Abe's elemental demonstration. "I didn't think that any Moroi learned how to use their magic offensively, or defensively for that matter. I thought it was just me and my aunt, Tasha, but Abe has obviously been working with his magic for longer than either my aunt or me."

"Well, I'm not sure that Abe was using his flame against Strigoi only." Rose laughed.

"What's so funny, Kiz?" Abe asked walking into the living room with an amused expression. He might not have known what we were talking about but if Rose was laughing there was a large chance that he would be too. He stepped over my large form and sat beside Rose.

"Just pondering what you actually used your flame for, and you can't tell me it was strictly for Strigoi interrogating purposes." Rose chuckled with a smirk.

"No, not strictly, though it has helped in a few situations when needed. Some that I do business with, never humans mind you, only respond when a little display of power is shown. I've worked to figure out just how little I need to put into my displays to receive the desired results." Abe answered dignity, though I felt he really avoided the meat of the subject, his answer was enough to satisfy curiosity.

Rose looked over at Abe with a knowing look, and they shared an understanding that his business would most likely be discussed later without other Moroi around. Christian was still chuckling when Adrian walked into the room. I lifted my head from Rose's lap and gave him a nod of acknowledgment before returning to my original position.

Rose bent down and placed a kiss on top of my head and buried her hand in the fur of my neck. The conversation was flowing easily around Rose and me, but we rarely contributed. We were both content with listening to the others' banter amongst themselves.

I tensed when I heard a car coming up the drive. It was probably just Mark and Oksana, but until I was sure I was going to be on full alert. I lifted my head from Rose's lap and stood when she did.

I hovered over her as she made her way to the front door and opened it in time to see a small car come to a complete stop in front of the house. Through the tinted windows, I could see a woman and a man.

The man, who I immediately recognized as Mark, stepped out of the car and surveyed the surroundings. I knew immediately that he was in Guardian mode and most likely ran into trouble on the way here.

His eyes finally landed on Rose and me, and a look of relief flooded his face as he took me in. He quickly moved around the car and opened the door for Oksana. She gave him a loving smile as he held out a hand to assist her in getting out of the car.

Mark closed the car door softly behind Oksana and placed a tender kiss on her cheek before going to the trunk of the car to retrieve their bags. Oksana allowed Mark to get both their bags and walked toward Rose and me.

 _"Oksana, it's great to see you again,"_ I said looking down at Rose. _"This is my girlfriend and Alpha, Rose Hathaway."_

"It's good to see you, too, Dimitri, and it's a great pleasure to meet you, Rose. I've heard a lot about you, both through the growing rumors about the Great White Wolf and through Yeva. She practically couldn't stop talking about you. She's so glad that Dimitri finally found you." Oksana beamed as she engulfed Rose in a hug. Rose didn't hesitate to return the gesture, and, even though I couldn't see it, the smile on her face was radiant. "This is my husband and Guardian Mark."

"It's an absolute honor to meet you, Oksana. Mark, can I help you with the bags?" Rose asked moving to help Mark, but I beat her to it.

 _"You go inside, Roza. Show Oksana around the house while we get the bags up to their room"_ I instructed nudging Rose back in the direction of the house. She narrowed her eyes at me before sighing and looping her arm through Oksana's.

I heard them chatting quietly as they walked back into the house. I gently grabbed the largest suitcase the Mark had pulled out, leaving him two smaller ones, with my teeth and led him through the house to the room that he and Oksana would be using in their stay here.

"How have you been, Dimitri?" Mark asked after I set the bag down.

 _"I've been better than I've ever been. I hate to say it, but I'm grateful for the event leading up to me going to America. I have faith that I would have eventually met Roza, but this is when she needed me most. I couldn't be happier."_ I said my tail wagging.

"You two seem to be a perfect match. Oksana was truly surprised when she saw your auras, and I'll admit their quite spectacular." Mark said with a smile.

 _"What do you mean?"_ I asked cocking my head to the side.

"Your auras pulse a radiant light. There are different colors that flow between the two of you, though I assume that's because of your pack members, the longer they stay in your aura the brighter they get. I would bet that your pack is happier than most and probably stronger than most."

 _"You'd probably be right about the stronger than most, but I'm not sure about the happier than most,"_ I said exiting the room to search for the others.

"Well, I'm just guessing here, but you and Rose's connection probably adds to the cohesiveness of the pack. I've known some packs that would literally tear themselves apart and others where the members constantly bicker. I've rarely come across a pack that lives in harmony, but you two have managed it while doubling her pack size." Mark said sounding truly impressed.

 _"That's definitely Roza. She's spectacular. I'm convinced that she could make even the most hard-headed Alpha submit to her with just a look."_ I chuckled as we entered the living room.

Oksana was sitting on the coffee table in front of Lissa and Adrian. Christian sat on the other side of Lissa, leaning back and looking amused at his girlfriend's excitement at meeting yet another Spirit user. Adrian and Lissa were both leaning forward, half a foot from Oksana and hanging on every word that came out of her mouth.

Rose looked up from observing the trio and smiled when she found me in the doorway. She stood and offered Mark her seat as she jumped up on my back. She laughed when I reminded her that I wasn't a horse but didn't comment otherwise.

"Charms?" Lissa questioned as I tuned into the conversation. I walked around the room and situated myself and Rose furthest from the entry. As a Guardian, I would normally place myself between the Moroi and the entrance of a room, but Rose was with me and probably wasn't going to leave my side anytime soon so I was going to place her away from any possibility of danger.

"Yes. In the same way that the other elements charm Guardians' stakes and create ward lines, you and Adrian can create Spirit charms. I mostly use them to help Mark and myself manage the Darkness, but you could potentially use a charm to manipulate appearances and provide healing when needed." Oksana explained.

Lissa looked quickly over at Rose with a large smile before turning her attention back to Oksana.

"How can I make one to help with the Darkness?" She asked almost immediately.

"You need help with Darkness?" Oksana asked leaning back a little with a puzzled expression. "You don't have much Darkness. I wouldn't have guessed you needed help with it."

"I kind of already have help with it, but my help isn't necessarily the healthiest option," Lissa said looking over at Rose again. Rose had spread herself across my back and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel that she was close to being asleep but was trying desperately to stay awake.

"What do you do to help?" Oksana asked.

"Rose takes a little of it, though I'm pretty sure that she takes more than she's letting on," Lissa answered looking over, again, at the sleeping Rose.

"Rose can take the Darkness? I wasn't aware that you two were bonded." Mark commented with a puzzled expression that matched his wife's.

"No, we're not bonded, at least not through Spirit. She's a Spirit user herself and she can take others' Darkness." Lissa explained quickly.

"Rose is half Moroi half Lycanthrope. That combination apparently allows the individual to possess the magic that Moroi do." Adrian offered.

"She can wield the other elements, but she's 'specialized' in Spirit. If she worked a little more she could be proficient in at least two other elements. She's rather gifted with fire and air." Lissa smiled proudly. Not only were we talking about our Alpha, but we were talking about her best friend.

"She's got her father's talent." Abe chuckled with the pride and joy only a father could produce. The entire room turned silent at the observed the sleeping Alpha on my back. Oksana broke the silence after what I assumed was a careful observation of her aura.

"She's extraordinary."


	52. Chapter 52

**RPOV**

There was a phone ringing nearby and the surface I was sleeping on started shifting. I groaned softly in annoyance but immediately fell back into my dream of Dimitri and me in an amusement park.

The Dimitri beside me was always smiling and, thankfully, in human form. He'd threaded his fingers through mine, and our arms swung freely between us. When I actually looked around us, the park looked dilapidated.

The metal of the various rides had rust and faded and chipped paint. The ground was littered with trash and I finally noticed that no one else was here. With furrowed eyebrows, we continued through the park.

As we approached the back of the park, I could hear music playing. My ears perked up as they tried to find the source of the music. Coming around the corner of a concessions building, I saw the merry-go-round spinning slowly while playing rundown, creepy-sounding music.

Dimitri suddenly stopped, seemingly frozen in time. I tried pulling him closer to the ride and calling out to him, but he didn't move an inch. His eyelids were stuck halfway through a blink, but the smile was still firmly on his face.

I turned back to the mysterious merry-go-round and noticed a figure mounted upon one of the horses. I gave one last glace at Dimitri's frozen form and headed toward the ride. The figure had disappeared from sight, but I could see it revolving around again.

I walked slowly to the creepy horses, being aware of everything else around me. The closer I got, and with each revolution of the ride, I became aware that I knew the figure. Well, I didn't know him, but I recognized him.

He was the same man that visited my dream a month ago. He was the one that told me to grow my pack with non-Lycanthrope. He also warned me that someone, Victor, was after me.

"Who are you?" I called out when I got within a few yards of the merry-go-round. The man was just coming into view again. He looked over at me with a small smile, much different than the look he gave me the last time.

"I'm Robert." He said plainly before disappearing from view once again. I waited until he was coming around the bend, but he was still wearing the small smile. "I didn't know how else to contact you."

"Why would you need to contact me?" I asked quickly before he disappeared once again.

"How 'bout you join me up here so we can have a real conversation?" He laughed at his next pass and continued in the one after that. "If it makes you feel safe, I'll even let him join us."

I looked back at Dimitri who was slowly making his way over to us, waiting for confirmation from me.

"Alright," I said as he came into view again. I waited until Dimitri was with me to hop up on the rotating platform. I picked a horse close to, but not directly next to, Robert. Dimitri placed himself standing beside me.

"Now, please don't freak out. I'm Victor's half-brother, but after what he's tried to do to you, I'm not helping him anymore. However, I do know what he's planning. He's been looking for you, Great White Wolf. I don't know where you are, and I doubt that he knows where you are, but he's working with a powerful Strigoi in Russia." Robert said after I'd situated myself sidesaddle on the horse.

"Galina. She's sent more people, not just Victor, after me. After Victor failed to retrieve me alive, she's satisfied with me being dead." I said while looking over my shoulder at Dimitri. He still had that smile on his face.

"He's not actually asleep, but because he's bonded with you, he'll always be with you whenever I pull you in," Robert explained noticing my silent question. "When he goes to sleep tonight, or whenever, his subconscious will file away this memory, and he'll know it happened, but until then this is the best I can do."

"So, why are you here?" I asked focusing my attention back on Robert, satisfied with the answer to the unasked question.

"I came to warn you. Victor has something planned. He's taken a flight to Russia, probably to help this Galina. You and your pack need to be vigilant. He's determined to catch you and keep up his end of the bargain."

"What bargain?"

"Galina promised to make him Strigoi. He's dying, as you probably know, from an incurable disease. He's decided, instead of dying after the disease takes its course, he'd rather become Strigoi and live forever." Robert said with thinly veiled disgust.

"So, I'm the only thing standing in the way of his eternal life," I stated plainly.

"Pretty much." The merry-go-round lurched slightly. "You're being woken. Just be careful, Great White Wolf. You'll do amazing things."

I wanted to thank him but I didn't know how. I knew this man was a Spirit user, so I did the only thing I knew would signify my gratitude for his forthcoming information: I took some of his Darkness.

I saw his eyes widen in shock as I pulled the Darkness quickly from him, but the dream-scape was already dissolving so the words forming on his tongue went unspoken.

My eyes opened gently, squinting at the intruding light.

 _"Roza?"_ Dimitri's voice filtered into my mind causing me to smile.

"Hey, Comrade. What's going on?" I asked sitting up from my position on his back. He was no longer laying down in the corner of the living room, but standing outside the house, hence the unnecessarily bright environment.

"We have a location on Galina and her compound of Strigoi, we're, well, you're going to scout it. We need as much information as you can collect. The number of Strigoi roaming the grounds. The number of possible entrances and exits. Anything we could use to our advantage." Abe said gesturing to the rest of my pack while giving instructions on what to be wary of. I turned around and saw my non-Lycanthrope members standing on the porch.

My Lycanthrope members had all Shifted and were looking at me expectantly, waiting for the command of their Alpha. I nodded in agreeance knowing that Abe knew what he was doing when it came to gathering detailed information.

 _"I think that you should stay human and low on my back. By the time we reach the compound, it will be dark so they won't be able to distinguish black from brown, but your white fur will be distinguishable."_ Dimitri reasoned. It made sense and it was just because he was being overprotective.

"Sounds good to me. Are you joining us?" I asked Abe.

"No. I'm going to stay here and provide a little protection for the rest of your pack. Christian and I will be able to provide our fire element, and my Guardians and Mark will be able to fight if need be." He responded gesturing to the crowd that had gathered on the porch.

"Alright, well, I guess we'll be back later. Stay safe, you guys." I said and after a small wave to Lissa, Dimitri took the lead of our caravan of Lycanthrope. I laid back down on Dimitri's back, wrapping my arms as far around his neck as I could manage as we passed through the wards.

Once past the wards, he picked up pace working his way up to a full sprint causing me to thread my fingers into his fur to make sure I didn't fall off. I was worried about the new members of my pack, mostly Yeva, but when I looked back, she was directly behind Dimitri with a determined glint in her eyes.

 _"Are you sure we should have brought Paul and Viktoria?"_ I asked Dimitri after noticing the smaller Lycanthrope trailing behind us.

 _"No, but Yeva insisted that we bring them. She cited that it would be a great learning experience to see the both of us in action."_ Dimitri responded a little tensely. I suppose they already had this argument, and he had obviously lost.

 _"It sounds like you need to stop questioning your grandmother."_ I chuckled, and he growled quietly but didn't respond.

We continued on in silence, the only sound being the crunch of decaying leaves made by the Lycanthrope behind us. I made a mental note to work on stealth in our next training session. The further we went into the woods, the further the sun worked its way below the horizon. It was getting cold, and the sun was well below the horizon cutting off any warmth that it could have provided.

I pressed myself closer to Dimitri to feed off his warmth. As a wolf, I ran a higher body temperature than most Moroi, Dhampir, or human, but in our human form, we tended to get cold just as easily as humans without our fur to protect us.

 _"I should have brought you a coat or at least a jacket."_ Dimitri sighed apologetically sensing the cause of my shivering.

"I'm fine, Comrade. It gives me an excuse to cuddle closer to you." I said gently doing just that. His coat was so soft and silky, I had no qualms as to sinking further in especially if it continued to provide me the warmth I needed.

 _"You don't need an excuse, Roza. If you want to be closer to me, just get closer. In fact, I prefer you being as close as you can get."_ Dimitri chuckled sexily. I leaned in closer to his ear. My breath fanned across his sensitive fur causing his ear to twitch a couple times. My resulting giggle produced a rumbling deep in Dimitri's chest.

"I think we're going to have to try that restraint system when we get back," I whispered low enough for only Dimitri's ears to hear. He released another rumble but didn't respond as the smell of death became faint in the air.

 _"We're getting close."_ He told the rest of the pack. I flattened myself on his back as he raised his head slightly to mask any visible sign of my presence. Surprisingly the crunching sounds that the pack had been producing dropped to a minimum as we grew closer to the rotting corpse smell.

In my mind, I could hear Paul questioning Karolina about what was happening. Karolina explained as quickly as possible, but it seemed that every answer given produced two more questions.

Thankfully, Dimitri intervened with a firm word of silence to Paul. I could see the trees break up ahead where the moonlight lit an open space. Dimitri stopped a few yards away from the break in the trees causing the rest of the pack to come to a stop as well.

Across a wide clearing rose a massive castle-like structure. It honestly surprised me that there wasn't a moat surrounding the place, but there was a large wall of shrubs that circled the side and back of the building.

 _"Seems a bit dramatic, don't you think?"_ I asked Dimitri.

 _"I agree, but they are Strigoi. I'm sure they think they're untouchable, and the way they live just proves that. However, we both know that they're completely touchable and a little tasty."_ He chuckled the last part when my stomach growled softly.

 _"I can't help it. There are too many of you, and it doesn't help that you insist on staying a wolf all day every day."_ I huffed in embarrassment.

 _"The sooner we clear out this scum, the sooner I can go back to being the human you love."_ He responded.

 _"Until then, you're just the wolf I love,"_ I muttered scanning the area for movement. The moon was high in the sky, but the movement around the manor was minimal. _"Karolina, take Paul and Viktoria to the right. Stay well behind the tree line and observe what you can. If you think you've been spotted, run back this direction and Dimitri and I will take care of them."_

 _"Babushka, you go with Derek to the left and do the same,"_ Dimitri instructed. _"Roza and I will stay here and figure out what we can from this angle. Don't feel like you guys have to go all the way around the perimeter, but make sure that you've learned everything you think you can, we don't want any surprises when we storm the castle."_

The dark wolves disappeared into the dense forest leaving me to peek over Dimitri's head to observe the grounds. My nose was still filled with the smell of death, but I was getting more used to it.

 _"There doesn't seem to be many Strigoi roaming the grounds. Do you think they're all out in the surrounding towns?"_ I asked after an hour of silent watching.

 _"More than likely. I doubt that they would all go out at once, but they'd probably send out enough to be able to bring some back for the rest of them. I highly doubt that Galina herself goes out hunting. She's probably thriving off the success and power she's obtained, having other people do her bidding."_

 _"There's no other way to get to her then, other than taking the entire building,"_ I said resting my chin on the top of his head.

 _"My suggestion would be to take the…castle?...as soon as they send out the Strigoi for the night and finish them off went they get back. It'll give us a chance to save some unsuspecting humans, too."_ Dimitri said leaning his head back forcing me to lift mine.

 _"I like that idea, but we'll need to run it by the rest of the pack first. However, I think we need to do a little more surveillance. One night is fine and everything, but we don't know a pattern until the third night."_ I said right before my stomach growled again.

 _"I agree, milaya, but let's make sure you eat before coming back tomorrow night."_ Dimitri chuckled before calling the rest of the pack to go home.


	53. Chapter 53

**DPOV**

"Does everyone know what they're doing?" Rose asked yet again. We'd been going over this plan for the past three days. After we'd gotten back the first night, we told Abe everything and let him formulate a plan while we slept.

We got a good day's sleep before setting out for another night of investigation with more detailed instructions on what to look for. We arrived at the manor before the sun fully set, giving us enough time to see how many Strigoi were sent out.

After the first night, we didn't take Paul. Babushka said that he'd learned enough and didn't need to go again. Personally, I think that the constant questions made surveillance difficult and the long hours we'd be gone were hard for such a young wolf.

Rose had suggested that she could be paired with someone else to see if she could help notice different things than them, but I shut that idea down before it fully left her mouth. We went back to the same spot we had visited the previous nights to better notice patterns. Rose made notes while she sat on my back.

The other two scouting pairs sent Rose the information they'd gathered, and Rose wrote that down as well. We noted every time a Strigoi left the estate and when they came back. I made Rose take note of each time someone looked out a window. We kept track of which cars left most frequently and which direction they went.

Derek was kind enough to follow them a few times to see where they were sent, and we kept track of those, too. I could feel Rose's desire to run as a wolf, but she understood the danger of being spotted. If she was to be seen this close to the manor, she'd most likely be surrounded and turned.

The thought of my Roza being Pricolici was sickening, but I did wonder how she'd be different in the undead state.

Would she be able to switch between Strigoi and Pricolici as easily as she could switch between human and wolf now? Would she still retain some of her scent with the added rotting corpse smell? Would I still love her despite the monster that would take control of her body?

While my mind was conjuring these curiosities, my heart knew I never wanted to know the answers. I wanted Rose to remain by my side in life and in death, but not as an undead creature.

 _"Calm down, Roza. We all know what we're doing."_ I soothed adding an extra rumble to my chuckle which caused her to shift on my back.

"I'm just making sure." She mumbled nervously.

 _"As long as you stay hidden as a human for as long as possible, we'll be fine,"_ Derek said receiving a nod of agreeance from me and the rest of the pack. I could feel Rose's annoyance at having to stay human and hidden while everyone else is fighting, but it was for the best and she knew that.

"Why do the powerful ones always have to hide behind their minions? There used to be a time when the rulers charged into battle with their army. Can't Galina be like the old kings and just lead the charge so we can kill her sooner?" Rose questioned.

The only answer she received was Abe's amused chuckle.

"Fine. Let's go." She sighed and kicked me into gear like a horse. I growled loudly and was met by her laughter.

I followed the command of my Alpha and my Pair and started the journey to the manor. Olena, Sonja, and Paul were staying at the house with Oksana. Mark was joining Abe's Guardians and the rest of the pack to help us take down Galina and her hoard of Strigoi.

We walked in a single line, minimizing the evidence of our numbers. We walked silently, aside from the occasional twig snapping underfoot of the jogging Guardians. Each Lycanthrope member of the pack had agreed to carry one, and in Derek's case two, Guardian to conserve their energy, but the remaining twenty were to travel as quickly as possible on foot.

It helped, though some of Abe's Guardians were also Lycanthrope so they could carry a few Dhampir Guardians as well. Eddie was on my back with Roza, and Mason was doubled on Derek's back with one of Abe's Guardians. Christian and Lissa were on the backs of Abe's Guardians, but Rose was keeping an eye on them just in case. Abe was also mounted on one of his Guardians.

The journey there took longer because of those traveling on foot, but by the time we arrived, we were all ready to go. Surprisingly, the Guardians that had traveled by foot were just as energized as those who rode here.

Rose jumped off my back after Eddie and came to stand in front of me. I dropped my head down to hers so our foreheads could touch.

 _"I love you, Comrade. Be careful until I can get out there with you."_ She said placing a kiss on my nose.

 _"I promise. I love you. I'll see you soon."_ I replied before nudging her in the direction of the tree she'd be using as cover.

I ignored the pain in my chest at leaving her side and made my way around the perimeter of the manor. I stopped after a few minutes next to the gnarled tree that marked my position and watched silently as the others passed me on the way to their posts.

I felt the tension building as I waited for Rose to give the pack the signal. Abe was the closest one to Rose, so within speaking distance where Abe would then send the signal to his Guardians telling them to attack moments after the pack burst into the clearing.

I was probably in the most dangerous spot, much to Rose's dismay, but being the most talented fighter, this is where I needed to be. I was directly in front of the main entrance. If the manor was under attack, which it soon would be, most Strigoi would be pouring out of this exit.

Derek was the position to my left and Christian was the position to my right, much to Lissa's dismay. I watched in anticipation as the Strigoi left the manor and piled into their respective cars. The night was quiet around me, the only sound being the cars' engines and the crunch of gravel under tires as they drove down the winding road toward their designated towns.

I turned my attention back to the structure before me as I prepared myself to hear Rose's command. I couldn't tell if the anxiety I felt was Rose's or mine, but it was growing more prominent as time progressed.

 _"Begin."_ She stated plainly. I lunged forward giving a loud, threatening howl. I heard the rest of our pack and the wolves with Abe responding in kind. I could see all of our hunting party charging the manor, and could sense the surprise from within.

My ears picked up shouting from beyond the stone walls, but it was too muffled to make out. My paws hit the gravel of the circle drive when the first of the Strigoi emerged from behind the door.

He seemed scared as he ran at me. His eyes widening in shock as my jaws opened wide only to clamp down around his neck, severing it from his body. The wide-eyed severed head was caught by the next Strigoi out of the house and thrown away in disgust.

I held back slightly knowing that if I charged in Rose would have my head, but I provided backing for Derek as he rushed forward. Christian aided in distracting the Strigoi by lighting a couple of them on fire. Those near the ones ablaze would stumble in their charge, giving either Derek or myself enough time to decapitate them.

There was a lull after about the twentieth Strigoi which gave us enough time to drain a few of the Strigoi around us. Christian even leaned down and gripped one corpse by the lapels and sank his fangs into the decapitated body.

While I did feel myself getting stronger, Rose was keeping most of the strength within herself, giving it out when we needed it but otherwise saving it for what she would have to do. I didn't feel any pain through the pack bond so I assumed that everyone was doing alright, but I had no idea how Abe's Guardians were fairing.

I didn't have time to look around to find out when the next wave of Strigoi came through. These Strigoi were older than the first, but they still weren't very apt at fighting. I had to work a little harder at getting an open shot at their necks, but with Christian's help, the task was made simpler, though I think I burned my tongue once or twice.

Derek had taken a beating with this new wave and retreated slightly behind me, leaving me to be the first line of defense, though I knew the Strigoi would most likely target him seeing he was injured.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a few Lycanthrope running our way as they were being chased by several Pricolici. I felt Rose's panic, probably at seeing the undead pack heading our way.

 _"Roza, stay put,"_ I commanded before she had the chance to decide whether or not to aid us. I felt her frustration grow, but she didn't Shift.

The Lycanthrope running at us plowed into the remaining Strigoi, ripping through flesh and bone as they passed in a blur. I braced myself for the impact that never came. Christian had managed to throw a wall of fire between us and the Pricolici in time for the Pricolici to skid to a halt.

They shrunk back from the flames that were slowly creeping toward them. I nodded at Christian and he parted the flames just in time for me to jump through them at the nearest Pricolici. My claws sank into its flank, tearing muscle away from bone and extracting a painful yelp from the undead beast.

Another Pricolici lunged at me, but I dropped in time for its jaws to latch onto its partner and not me. The second Pricolici had been so preoccupied with killing, it didn't notice it had killed one of its own until it was far too late. By that time, he, too, was lying on the ground with its throat ripped out, leaving me with three more Pricolici.

Derek rushed to my aid as two charged me at once but was cut off by the third for his attempt. The two circling me were worrisome. They both looked old and seemed to have been skilled fighters, either before Awakening or after.

One stayed to my back left while the other tried to draw my attention at the front of me. I knew I needed help if I was going to get out of this, but Christian's magic was waning and Derek was too busy to help me.

The undead army paused as a new howl was released into the air. She was supposed to wait until most of the Strigoi were dead, but I suppose enough of them were dead to still get the job done.

Her bright white form emerged slowly from the dense woods. The authority in her howl made even the Pricolici cower in submission. They immediately stopped attacking me and turned to face the Alpha, my Alpha.

The Strigoi were confused and resumed fighting only to be swiftly ended by the Pricolici nearest them. Abe's Lycanthrope Guardians were also in position of submission as Rose slowly walked forward, her head held high, ears pitched forward, and eyes alert.

Only the pack was left standing, even Abe and his Dhampir Guardians had knelt down. I quickly made my way to her side when she stopped in the middle of the clearing littered with lifeless bodies. My eyes surveyed the wreckage while Rose's remain trained on the entrance to the manor.

She didn't say a word as she waited for Galina to reveal herself. The Pricolici were growing nervous at her focused gaze, but quickly stilled when she growled.

The doors opened after a few minutes. Galina came waltzing out, seemingly unfazed by her dead or entranced army. She looked amused at the Pricolici that were laying on the ground around their enemies. She started laughing as she walked leisurely toward where Rose and I stood.

"I have found you, at last, Great White Wolf." She beamed in jubilation. "Have you come to join me and all your kin?"

 _"I've come to put an end to your reign, Galina,"_ Rose responded evenly, though I could feel her disgust and amusement at Galina's offer.

"Unlikely, girl." Galina hissed, her previous cheerful demeanor replaced by a venomous snake. I growled loudly at the verbal attack, but Galina only seemed mirthful at my aggression.

 _"Let me end your suffering quickly and painlessly,"_ Rose said gently as she drew Galina's attention away from me.

"I'm not suffering, foolish child. I'm living!" Galina laughed. "Your life, however, is putting a wrench in mine. Either you need to be Awakened or you need to die. Which will it be?"

 _"I'm going to choose neither if that's alright with you,"_ Rose responded while rolling her eyes.

"Neither? Well, something has to happen. I can't let you go on living, making my life difficult." Galina said indignantly.

 _"You don't have a choice, mainly because you won't be living for me to make your life difficult."_ Rose chuckled. My amusement grew as a frown took over Galina's face.

She finally understood her fate.


	54. Chapter 54

**RPOV**

"There was nothing you could do, Roza." Dimitri comforted as we cuddled in bed. We'd just gotten back to the house and finished taking a shower, and Dimitri had finally Shifted back.

After Galina had understood what was going to happen, I beheaded her. The Pricolici were the only remnants of Galina's empire other than the Strigoi that had been sent out at the beginning of the night.

"I still feel bad. They weren't hurting anyone anymore. I had them under control." I grumbled knowing he was right.

"I know, but even you don't know how long you could have kept them in control." Dimitri soothed pulling me closer to him.

"It feels nice having you back in human form. If you ever go on strike like that again, I'm dropping you from the pack." I said in a serious tone. He chuckled and kissed my neck.

"I'm sure you will." He mumbled as he continued to pepper kisses on my skin.

"I'm serious, I will." I moaned as Dimitri's hand started circling lower. "Even your charming ways couldn't persuade me otherwise."

"We'll see about that." He chuckled dipping his hand between my thighs. My back arched involuntarily causing my ass to grind against his growing erection. "However, I will say that I'm glad to have you back in my arms."

I made a noise that sounded like agreement as his fingers worked their magic. My mind went blank before filling with thoughts of only Dimitri and the pleasure he was giving. His lips worked their way to my earlobe before nipping at it gently.

He abruptly pulled away, leaving me panting in frustration.

"Where do you think you're going?" I growled when he climbed off the bed. His smirk made me rush after him when he disappeared into the closet.

He didn't turn on the light when he entered and I didn't get a chance before I was shoved against the back wall of the closet. Before I had a chance to fight back, cold metal was clamped around my wrists, attaching me to the wall.

"Dimitri!" I growled threateningly, but he just chuckled and pressed his body firmly against mine. Without thinking, I used my legs to try and push him away, but he grabbed the backs of my knees and wrapped them around his waist.

He moved my shackles a little higher so I was hanging off the ground about a foot. My grip on his body kept the pressure off my wrists, though.

"Your father really outdid himself when he installed these," Dimitri smirked as he studied the metal cuffs that encircled my wrists and the pulley system that kept me suspended. "With the way the arms are separated and pitched slightly back, there is no way for you to Shift, at least without causing yourself tremendous pain."

"I'm so glad that you approve, now let me go," I growled tugging at my restraints again.

"You said that we'd have to try this out. This is me trying it out." He stated nonchalantly.

"I meant for you to be chained, not me," I mumbled.

"Oh, so there's a double standard here? It's okay for me to be chained up, but it's not okay for you to be chained up?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"Exactly."

"That hardly seems fair."

"Life isn't fair, Comrade," I said mock-sagely.

"That it isn't." He muttered pulling back. I tried to tighten my legs around him to keep him in place, but he pried himself away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not going anywhere, just shifting position." He said with a cocky grin. My eyes narrowed at his nondescript answer. Before I had time to think through all the possible positions he could be shifting into, he fell to his knees before me.

I released an Alpha growl that made his eyes glow gold. He gripped my ankles as they dangled above the ground and placed them over his shoulders. He was at the perfect height for my knees to rest on his shoulders, holding me up. This also put him in direct contact with my sex.

He looked up at me from his position between my thighs, and through the valley of my breasts, I could see him lick his lips in anticipation.

"You know, you didn't have to chain me up for you to go down on me." I breathed in an attempt to control my lust for the man.

"I know, but this way I can do whatever I want, and you're powerless to stop me." He smirked right before plunging his tongue into my dripping heat.

He pulled out slowly as my scream of pleasure died away. His tongue traveled upward, and he dragged his bottom lip over my clit as he went. His hands kept my thighs apart as he continued on, being as methodical in giving me the best orgasm I'd ever had.

"You know, I was thinking. What happens if you do end up destroying all Strigoi and Pricolici? What will you feed on then?" Dimitri asked as I tried to catch my breath. I moaned in protest at his attempt to pull my brain back into a functioning state.

" _That_ was what you were thinking?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, yes, but not just now. I thought this when you were covered in Galina's blood."

"And you thought _now_ would be the best time to ask?" The lust-induced fog that had clouded my mind was lifting and being replaced by annoyance and anger.

"Don't use that tone of voice with me," Dimitri said with a slight glare. My essence was still on his face and glistened as he set his jaw firmly.

My mind was once again filled with all the dirty things Dimitri could do with me chained, but when I tried to clench my thighs to stifle my arousal, Dimitri was still hindering my ability to do so.

"Comrade," I said somewhat evenly as I laid my head back against the wall and closed my eyes to remained focused. "If you want to continue this discussion, I suggest you unchain me. Otherwise, do something useful with your body."

"Oh, Roza." He chuckled darkly. "You haven't seen half the useful things I can do with my body."

I moaned again and squirmed against the chains for what seemed like the millionth time. Dimitri stood from his place before me and quickly closed the distance between our mouths. I could taste myself on his tongue when he pried my lips apart to gain access to mine.

I battled him for dominance, seeing as my tongue could be the only battle I could win in my current position, but he again claimed victory. I was so distracted by his tongue that I didn't notice he'd lined himself up with my sex until he slammed into me.

I pulled back from the passionate kiss to scream out his name. I couldn't tell if it was pain or pleasure because it seemed to be on the thin line in between the two.

"I love hearing you scream my name." Dimitri breathed in my ear in the most Alpha voice I'd ever heard from him.

The rumble in his chest sent a violent shiver up my spine. One of his hands ran from my knee to the back of my thigh, effectively holding me in place, while the other spread across my ribcage. His palm felt like fire and his thumb elicited another moan from me as it gently caressed the underside of my breast.

He slowly pulled his hips back with a confident smirk. My hips tried to chase him without consent from me which only caused his smirk to grow into a full-blown cocky grin. I growled when he didn't bring his hips back to mine but opted to pull out to his tip.

My patience was beyond thin, and I think he sensed this seconds before slamming back into me. Once again, I screamed out his name and it died off with a moan.

"I think you're pushing the limits of your father's soundproofing." Dimitri chuckled in my ear as he pushed my hair away from my neck. He nipped harshly at my neck eliciting another loud moan from me.

I felt slightly drained of energy, like Dimitri was pounding it out of me, but I found enough to wrap my legs around his waist and keep him pressed against me. However, I knew if he wanted to, he could easily get away from me and leave me chained up in frustration.

He soothed the sting of his bite with a wide brush of his tongue. Without warning, Dimitri started to drive hard inside me. His rough breathing heated and cooled my neck in tempo with his hip movements.

My screams increased in pitch and length with each thrust. I could feel Dimitri losing control as his claws elongated into my side. Normally this might hurt, but right now the pain was balancing out the immense pleasure.

My arms were begging to be wrapped around him, and I found the strength to break my wrists from the metal cuffs. I could feel Dimitri's surprise and increased arousal as my nails ran down his back, but he didn't pause in his work between my thighs.

I could feel the howl building in his chest with the tension in his shaft. My Alpha was clawing her way out, but I could hold out until Dimitri started the howl. He threw his head back and released the loudest, most passion-filled howl I'd ever heard as his cock pulsed in time with my pussy.

Not wanting to be outdone, my howl joined his and strengthened it. I couldn't give you a timeframe for how long this howl lasted, but it surprised me at its length considering we were already out of breath.

I opened my eyes, unaware that I had closed them to begin with. The lights had gone out, the only light in the room being the glow from our eyes and the brilliant white light shining from our Marks.

"Have you ever seen or heard of Marks doing this?" I asked breathlessly, tracing my finger along my Mark on the back of his neck.

"No, but I've also never heard about a howl that blew the power." Dimitri chuckled after catching his breath. "I'm pretty sure every experience with you is unique and wonderful."

"BELIKOV!" I heard my father roar. I saw the gold circles widen in the dark as the pounding footsteps came to an abrupt halt outside our door.

I heard Dimitri curse under his breath as he pulled out of me and stumbled around for clothing. I managed to find one of his shirts and pull that over my head before helping Dimitri find his pants.

The pounding on our door had steadily increased in intensity as did the volume of my father's voice.

"Belikov! Open this door right this fucking second before I decide to rip your dick off and mount it on my wall!" The first threat came. I stifled a laugh at Dimitri's terrified expression

"When I get my hands on you…" Pavel's threat was left open-ended which provided Dimitri with more fear. I'd stopped looking for Dimitri's pants in the dark and focused on not busting out laughing. Dimitri was still searching frantically for a piece of clothing to cover himself.

"BELIKOV!" Abe cried once more as Dimitri finally pulled on his pants and flung the door open.

Pavel and Abe stormed into the room. Abe had a lantern in one hand as Pavel pushed Dimitri back into the room harshly. Their screams and threats had been one thing, but seeing them practically attack my Pair sparked something inside me.

Dimitri was fumbling with his words trying to explain himself and calm the two enraged men in front of him. The gold had left his eyes, but the lilac was starting to flood my irises again as my Pair was being threatened.

The light from my eyes and our Marks filled the room with more than enough light.

"Pavel," I spoke in a quiet, calm voice, though my emotions were raging inside. "I suggest you remove your hand from my Pair before I remove it from your body."

"Stay out of this, Rose," Abe growled gently, keeping his eyes trained on Dimitri. I saw Dimitri's eyes flash gold as my protectiveness grew. "What do you think you were doing with my daughter?"

"It wasn't like you didn't know what we were doing, Abe," I growled taking a menacing step toward them.

"I knew what you were doing, but I didn't think you be so loud and obvious about it," Abe yelled at me, but again it was directed at Dimitri.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that. We are Paired, and she is beautiful. You can't expect me to contain myself around her." Dimitri growled, the gold shining bright in his eyes now. He straightened his spine, making him look taller and more threatening.

Pavel finally dropped his hand from Dimitri's chest and was smart enough to take a step back. I walked slowly and purposefully to Dimitri's side as he faced down my father and uncle.

"I apologize that we got a little noisy. I'll try to keep it down next time. I'm also sorry that the power went out, but I will not apologize for the way I treated your daughter." Dimitri finished with a cocky smirk.

His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer. Abe looked amused, though still upset, and Pavel looked purely murderous. Abe returned his looked to threatening but placed a hand on Pavel's shoulder. With one last sneer, Pavel stormed out of the room. Abe threw a loaded look at Dimitri and left the room also, giving me a loving smile as he closed the door behind him.

"Will it ever get easier dealing with the two of them?" Dimitri asked with a sigh.

"Probably not, but if you love me, you'll continue to deal with them," I smirked up at him.

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep dealing with them." He said with a large smile before returning his lips to mine to finish what we started.

* * *

 _Hey guys!_

 _That's it! Another story down!_

 _*dusts off hands before cleaning clay dust off keyboard*_

 _I thank you for all of you that have been here since the start of this one, and I thank everyone that has joined the ride along the way. This is probably the longest story (chapter wise) that I will ever do. For those authors that can write a hundred chapters in one story and still stick with it, I applaud you. Anyway,_ _I really hope that you have enjoyed Under the Moonlight, and if you didn't...well...I tried my best._

 _I hope you all have a wonderful day!_

 _~Victoria_


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